Islam's War on Terror - A Clarification to the Media http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?

option=com_content&view=article&id=139:islams-war -on-terror-a-clarification-to-the-media&catid=53:orthodox-pure-islam-vs-terroris m&Itemid=172 Allah is the creator of the heavens and the earth and all else that exists. Lear n about your creator and why you should submit to his will and accept Islam. "So we should ask ourselves, is it still possible for such a complex being such as ourselves, to be a mere product of chance, or rather, are we products of a su preme and skilful creator, who has shown us that he really is al -Khaaliq? - Inv itation to Islaam Newsletter" A 'Crystal-Clear' explanation of the stance of the Pure and clear Islam (Followi ng the Qur'an, the Sunnah (way) of Muhammad, May Allaah Raise His Rank and Grant Him Peace upon the understanding of the Prophet's Companions and those scholars who inherited knowledge from them), A clarification of the 'Salafees', in rega rds to Terrorism and the methods of terror: suicide bombings, declaring Muslim s tates to be apostate, declaring the lives and wealth of non-Muslims to be worthl ess and open to murder and other sources of evil. An important lecture which ref lects on the position of the Salafee scholars throughout the ages against these criminal-minded individuals and their modern-day movements. A stark contrast to some of the misinformation in the media in recent years, linking these extremist factions to 'Salafiyyah' (or as on off-shot, instead of making the documented c onnection between the extremist groups and their 20th century mentors such as Sa yyid Qutb, Maududi, al-Banna and their theologies who paved the way for others w ho even considered salafee scholars as apostates!). In truth, some writers have tried to base their research on factual statements coming to the determination t hat 'radicalism' is an agenda foreign to traditional Islamic values; imported to Islam and the Muslims, making the real distinction between orthodox Islam and t he extremists, whilst many have penned wild opinions without founding which have misled many (especially from the Muslim writers themselves). For those who wish to explore the facts and contrast the evidence, this lecture will make the affa ir quite clear. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/islamswaronterror.mp3 Listen to the Q&A Session... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/islamswaronterrorqa.mp3 *************************************************************** Is Islam a Religion of Terror? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=225:is-it-a-re ligion-of-terror&catid=53:orthodox-pure-islam-vs-terrorism&Itemid=172 Are Muslims wicked, evil people or is this simply propaganda to steer society aw ay from submission to the will of their Lord (Islaam). "One of the many short comings which have arisen in the West is judging Islam by the conduct of a minority of its people. By doing this, segments of Western soc iety have deliberately played off the desperate actions of many Muslims, and hav e given it the name of Islam. Such behaviour is clearly not objective and seeks to distort the reality of Islam.- Invitation to Islam" A bomb goes off in a marketplace in Jerusalem. A suicide bomber launches himself into a bus full of women and children in Tel Aviv. Foreign tourists get massacr

ed at a holiday resort in Luxor, Egypt. Villages upon villages get annihilated i n Algeria. The list of events worldwide which have come to symbolise the 'Islami c terror' are endless. From the times in the 70's and 80's when Pan Am and TWA a eroplanes would be highjacked, to the mid 80's in war torn Lebanon where America ns and Europeans would be held as hostages for years; all such incidents have co me to be identified with the religion of Islam. Such incidents from past and pre sent have undoubtedly affected Muslims worldwide and more so in the West. Any Mu slim, who wants to practice his/her religion and expresses the pious desire to l ive under the banner of Islam, is labelled a fundamentalist or extremist. Any Mu slim man who walks down a busy street in London or Paris (and Paris moreso) with a beard and a scarf on his head, is looked upon as being a potential terrorist who might have an AK47 stashed somewhere on his person. Muslim women who are vei led can't go anywhere in the Western world without being taunted as being oppres sed or being mad (for covering up). However, are such beliefs and opinions about Islam really justified? Exploding the myth One of the many short comings which has arisen in the West, is judging Islam by the conduct of a minority of its people. By doing this, segments of Western soci ety have deliberately played off the desperate actions of many Muslims, and have given it the name of Islam. Such behaviour is clearly not objective and seeks t o distort the reality of Islam. For if such a thing was done Judge a religion by the conduct of its people) then we too could say that all Christianity is about is child molesting and homosexuality [1] whilst Hinduism was all about looting and breaking up mosques [2]. Generalising in such a manner is not seen as being objective, yet we find that the Western world is foremost in propagating this ou tlook on Islam. So what is the reality of Islam? How does one dispel the myths w hich have been created and spread so viciously? The only way to examine Islam is to simply examine its belief system. Look at its sources, the Qur'an and Sunna, and see what they have to say. This is the way to find the truth about what Isl am says about terror, terrorism and terrorists. One who is sincerely searching f or the truth, will do it no other way. The very name Islam comes from the Arabic root word 'salama' which means peace. Islam is a religion which is based upon a chieving peace through the submission to the will of Allaah. Thus, by this very simple linguistic definition, one can ascertain as to what the nature of this re ligion is. If such a religion is based on the notion of peace, then how is it th at so many acts done by its adherents are contrary to peace? The answer is simpl e. Such actions, if not sanctioned by the religion, have no place with it. They are not Islamic and should not be thought of as Islamic. Jihad The word jihad sends shivers down the spines of many Westerners. They readily eq uate this term with violence and oppression. However, it must be said that the m eaning of jihad, as a 'holy war', is something which is totally foreign and not from Islam. If anything, such a description belongs more so to Christianity and its adherents. It was terms like this which were used to justify the slaughter a nd pillage of towns and cities during the crusades by the Christians. By simply looking into the sources of Islam, one is able to know that the true meaning of jihad is to strive/make effort in the way of Allaah. Thus striving in the way of Allaah can be both peaceful and physical. The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon h im) said: "The best jihad is (by) the one who strives against his own self for A llaah, The Mighty and Majestic" [3]. In the Qur'an, Allah also says: "So obey not the disbelievers, but make a great jihad (effort) against them (by preaching) with it (the Qur'an)" (Al-Furqan, The Criterion 25:52).

By controlling and fighting against ones desires, the Muslims can then also phys ically exert themselves in the path of Allah. It is this physical or combative j ihad which receives so much criticism. Because of the sheer ignorance of this ty pe of jihad Islam is regarded as terror, and Muslims are regarded as terrorists. However, the very purpose of this physical jihad is to raise the word of Allaah uppermost. By doing this, it liberates and emancipates all those who are crying out for freedom all over the world. If the likes of the pacifists of this world had their way, then the world would indeed be full of anarchy and mischief. The combative jihad seeks to correct this as Allah says in the Qur'an: "And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, the Earth wou ld be full of mischief. But Allah is full of bounty to the worlds" (Al-Baqarah, The Cow 2:251). Such would be the corruption on this Earth if there had never been a combative j ihad that Allah says: "For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of another, mo nasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is mentio ned much, would surely have been pulled down. Indeed Allaah will help those who help His (cause). Truly Allaah is All strong, All mighty" (Al-Hajj, The Pilgrimage 22:40). This combative jihad being both defensive and offensive, is something which is c ommanded by Allah upon the Muslims. Through this command the oppressed and weak are rescued from the tyranny of the world: "And what is the matter with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and for those weak, ill treated and oppressed among men, women and children whose o nly cry is; 'Our Lord, rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors and raise for us from you one who will protect and raise for us from you one who wil l help"' (An-Nisaa', The Women 4:75). Anyone who knows the early history of Islam, will know that all those nations an d empires which came under the fold of Islam were indeed previously oppressed. W hen the companions of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) went out for the offensive jihad against the Egyptians, the Persians and the Romans, we find that the people did not resist against them at all. Rather, they accepted Islam on s uch a scale, that it is inconceivable that the jihad of Islam could be anything other then a liberation for these people; a liberation from centuries of tyranny . In fact, with the Byzantine Egyptians and the people of Spain, the Muslims wer e even beckoned to come and liberate these lands from the oppression of their ki ngs. This is the glorious track record of the Muslim jihad Compare this with the brutal track record of warfare in the Western world over the centuries. From th e crusades against the Muslims to the days of colonial warfare, the Western worl d has killed, destroyed and plundered everything which has come in its way. Even today this merciless killing goes on by the Western nations. While claiming to be about world peace and security, Western nations are ready to bomb innocent ci vilians at the drop of a hat ('collateral damage' as it was coined). The classic example of this is the recent bombings of Sudan and Afghanistan. Whilst claimin g that Sudan and Afghanistan were havens for Islamic terrorists, the bombings of these two nations could not have come at a better time for the American preside nt Bill Clinton. The destruction of innocent lives which were a result of these bombings clearly seem to have been an attempt by Clinton to avert attention away from his sexual misdemeanours; [4] something which he so often gets caught up i n. Without doubt this was the reason for such terror from the American military

upon innocent people. This is the same American military which claims to enter t he worlds trouble spots under the guise of being peace keepers. But " when it is said to them; 'Make not mischief on the Earth', they say; 'We are on ly peace makers'. Indeed they are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive it not" (Al-Baqarah, The Cow 2:11-12) The Hypocrisy of the West is Indeed Astounding By looking at the rules and regulations of this combative jihad it will be clear to any sincere person that this is indeed the religion of truth. When fighting an unjust enemy, no matter how unjust they are, it is forbidden by Islam that th eir retreating forces are mutilated, tortured or slaughtered. The treacherous vi olation of treaties and carrying out assassinations after a cease fire, are also prohibited. Allaah says in the Qur'an: "And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you. But do not transgress the li mits. Truly Allah loves not the transgressors" (Al-Baqarah, The Cow 2:190). Not transgressing the limits means not to kill women and children, for the Messe nger of Allaah (peace be upon him) "forbade the killing of women and children" [ 5]. Not transgressing the limits means that the elderly, the sick, monks, worshi ppers and hired labourers are not attacked. Not transgressing the limits means n ot killing animals wantonly, burning crops and vegetation, polluting waters and destroying homes, monasteries, churches and synagogues: "Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not a gainst you on account of religion, nor drove you out of your homes. Indeed, Alla h loves those who deal with equity" (Al-Mumtahinah, The Woman that Examines 60:8). After reading such passages from the Qur'an and knowing about what Islam command s and prohibits in jihad, the rules of warfare are given a new meaning; a meanin g of justice. How sad it is then, that whilst Islam is condemned for striking te rror into the hearts of the people, the likes of the Serbs, the Indian army in K ashmir and the Israeli soldiers in Palestine are left untarnished for the atroci ties they have committed in the name of warfare. So what about suicide bombing, is this too a part of jihad in Allah's path? From what has already been stated above, it can be deduced that this is not from the religion. However, unfortunately many Muslims have taken suicide bombing as bei ng a virtuous act by which one receives reward. This could not be further from t he truth. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Those who go to extremes are de stroyed" [6]. Suicide bombing is undoubtedly an extremity which has reached the ranks of the Muslims. In the rules of warfare, we find no sanction for such an a ct from the behaviour and words of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) and his companions. Unfortunately, today (some misguided) Muslims believe that such acts are paving the way for an Islamic revival and a return to the rule of Islam 's glorious law. However, we fail to bear in mind that the Prophet (peace be upo n him) said: "Do not be delighted by the action of anyone, until you see how he ends up" [7]. So, for example what is the end of a suicide bomber in Palestine?, a leg here, an arm there. Massive retaliation by the Israeli's in the West Bank and Gaza. More Muslims killed and persecuted. How can we be delighted with such an end? What really hammers the final nail in the coffin of this act, is that i t is suicide; something which is clearly forbidden in Islam. The Messenger of Al

laah (peace be upon him) said: "He who kills himself with anything, Allaah will torment him with that in the fire of Hell" [8]. Some are under the misconception that by killing oneself for an Islamic cause, one commits an act which deserves Paradise. Once when a man killed himself, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "He is a dweller of the Fire". When the people were surprised at this, the Prop het (peace be upon him) said: "A person performs the deeds which to the people a ppears to be the deeds befitting the dweller of Paradise, but he is in fact one of the dwellers of the Fire" [9]. The taking of ones life which Allaah has given as a trust to the human, is a great sin. Likewise the taking of other lives (wh ich is so often the case with suicide bombing) is also forbidden, as human life is indeed precious: "...If anyone killed a person not in retaliation for murder or to spread mischie f in the land, it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind. And (likewise) if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the whole of mankind" (Al-Maa'ida, The Table Spread Out 5:32). Thus, all other types of extremities such as hostage taking, hijacking and plant ing bombs in public places, are clearly forbidden in Islam. The Media By going through the teachings of Islam, it is clear that such a religion has on ly come to benefit mankind -not to destroy it. So why is there so much hatred fo r this noble religion in the West? The answer is simple, the media. It is the Je wish influenced media of the West which has portrayed Islam to be something that it is not. During the 70's and 80's when the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisa tion) were carrying out daring highjacks on the worlds airways, the media in the West portrayed it as being Islamic. When the Shi'ite suicide bombers of the 80' s were causing so much havoc in the Lebanon and in the Gulf region, the media in the West portrayed it as a part of Islam. However, it is known by the heads of the media that the likes of the PLO were not an Islamic organisation, and that a ccording to maintsteam Muslims and orthodox Islam, Shi'ites are outside the fold of Islam [10]. Yet such facts are never portrayed by a media which seeks to cov er the truth of this religion. A number of years ago, when the Oklahoma City bom b went off, a headline in one of the newspapers, 'The Today' [11], summed up thi s attitude. With a picture of a fire fighter holding a dead child in his arms, t he headline read: "In The Name of Islam" Time has of course proven that this big oted assumption was incorrect, as Timothy McVeigh, a right wing radical now face s the death penalty for the crime [12]. Likewise the bombs which went off in the Paris metro in 1995, were also blamed on Muslim fanatics. It has now emerged th at the Algerian secret service who having routinely bribed many European journal ists and MPs, were actually behind it. The desire to throw a veil over Islam is immense by these people: "They intend to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will com plete His light even though the disbelievers hate (it)" (As-Saff, The Rank 61:8). Whilst trying to destroy Islam through this instrument of the media, the Jews cl early try to portray an image of themselves as being the oppressed people. Every year, we are reminded as to how many Jews perished under the Nazis in World War II. We are made to feel sorry for these same people who have gone on to commit so many crimes upon the Palestinian people. Some may say that this is a racist a nd biased viewpoint. But we say; If this media was not run and orchestrated by t he Jews and was truly neutral, then why are Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir, t wo former Israeli prime ministers, not held aloft as being terrorists? Anyone wh o knows about the history of the Palestinian occupation will tell you that these

two men were members of the Stem Gang and Irgun, two notorious Jewish terror gr oups who killed many innocent people [13]. If this media was truly impartial, th en why does it not tell about the extent of the Israeli bombardment and illegal occupation of Southern Lebanon and its people? [14] And if this media really had nothing against the religion of Allaah, then why does it not inform the people that every day hundreds are entering the religion of Islam? Such things will nev er be highlighted in the Western media, simply because to do so would be against their very interests. With such immense pressure against it, it is indeed a blessing from Allah that I slam goes from strength to strength. It continues to grow faster then any other religion in the Western world, conquering the hearts and minds of thousands. All this should not even surprise us though, for Allah has promised us that this re ligion will prevail: "It is He who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth , so that He may make it victorious over all other religions, even though the di sbelievers detest it" (As-Saff, The Rank 61:9). It is a must that humanity comes towards the religion of Islam. Without it, we w ill continue to slip down the road of inequity and darkness. With it we can esta blish a society of justice and peace. Religion of terror? ... no. The way forwar d? ... yes. "There is no compulsion in religion. The right path has indeed become distinct f rom the wrong. So whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allaah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allaah is A ll Hearing, All Knowing" (Al-Baqarah, The Cow 2:256) Footnotes: 1 By using the many cases of child abuse and homosexuality by priests, Such a ge neralisation about Christianity could be made 2 By using the incident of the destruction of the Babri mosque in Ayodya, India in December 1992 by Hindu zealots, such generalisations could be made about Hind uism 3 Authentic - Reported by At-Tabaranee 4 Years of sexual liaison with a White House aide, Monica Lewinski, has been pro ved against Mr Clinton. Since this time, a number of other women have also claim ed that they have had affairs with the president. And this is the same man who p ropagates family values and to whom millions look up to! 5 Reported by Bukhari - Eng. Trans, Vol.4, p. 160, No. 258 6 Authentic - Reported by Ahmed 7 Authentic - Reported by Ahmed 8 Reported by Muslim - Eng. Trans, Vol. 1, p.62, No.203 9 Reported by Muslim - Eng. Trans, Vol. 1, p.64, No.206 10 The beliefs which are contained in the books of the Shi'ites places them outs ide of the fold of Islam generally. However, upon the individual Shi'ite, the pr oofs need to be established before one can say that helshe is a disbeliever 11 This newspaper no longer exists 12 It is strange indeed that whilst the Western media criticises Islamic law for being barbaric and harsh, not a word is said about the fact that McVeigh too wi ll be executed just as someone would in an Islamic state 13 These two groups killed Arabs, Jews and the British. They are accredited with the massacre at the village of Deir Yassin, in which many innocent people were butchered

14 Despite the fact that the UN has even made a resolution against Israel for th is illegal occupation, no 'democratic peace loving nation' (like the USA!!) has bothered to implement it. Islam - The Religion of all the Prophets ******************************************************************************** **************** Justice to all Mankind, Even Those Who Make an Enemy of Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=147:justice-to -all-mankind-even-those-who-make-an-enemy-of-islam&catid=53:orthodox-pure-islamvs-terrorism&Itemid=172 Ibn Kathir (Early Islamic Scholar): Do not let your hatred of a people cause you to be unjust to them, rather you must be just to everyone, friends or enemies, t his is why Allah said: 'Be just: that is closer to piety' Meaning being just is closer to piety than being unjust. "The Messenger of Allah, may peace be upon him, informed us that Allah said: O M y Servants, indeed I have prohibited injustice for myself, and I have prohibited it amongst you. The noble scholar; Abdul Azeez Aal Ash Shaykh comments:This is gen eral to all mankind, whether they are Muslim or not, it is not permissible for a ny one person to oppress another even if they were enemies or harbored hatred fo r one another. Enmity and hatred do not authorize anyone in the legislation of I slam to be unjust or practice oppression. Statements from Islamic Scholars, Past and Present The saying of Allah the Exalted: "O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as just witnesses; and let not th e enmity and hatred of others allow you to avoid justice. Be just: that is close r to piety; and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do." [Al Maaidah: 8] Ibn Katheer explains: Do not let your hatred of a people cause you to be unjust to them, rather you mus t be just to everyone, friends or enemies, this is why Allah said: 'Be just: tha t is closer to piety' Meaning being just is closer to piety than being unjust. At Tabari, a renowned scholar of the 8th century comments: Do not let enmity between you and others cause you to be unjust in your dealings and rulings with them such that you oppress them due to the enmity that is betwe en you. It has been stated that this verse was revealed when the Jews plotted to murder the Prophet. Al Qurtubi, a scholar from the 12th century states: This verse also proves that the disbelief of non-Muslims must not prevent us from being just to them...and it is not permissible for us to retaliate in the same manner, even if they kill our women and children and cause sorrow to befall us, it is not permissible for us to act likewise with the intention of making them f eel grief and sorrow.

Allah the Elevated says: "Verily, Allah enjoins justice, beneficence, giving (help) to kith and kin, and forbids all forms of evil and Al-Munkar (i.e. all that is prohibited by Islamic law and oppression). He admonishes you, that you may take heed.)." [An Nahl: 90] Ibn Katheer states: Allah orders his servants with justice, which is fairness and equity, and encoura ges them to be beneficent. Allah the Mighty says: "Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them th e Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice." [Al Had eed: 25] At Tabari comments: Meaning: So that people may interact amongst each other with justice. Allah the Merciful says: "That no burdened person (with sins) shall bear the burden (sins) of another." [ An Najm: 38] Ibn Katheer comments: Meaning: Anybody who has oppressed himself by disbelief or sins will be responsib le for those sins, nobody else will carry the burden. As Sa di, a scholar of the 19th century explains: and no one shall bear the sin of another. The noble scholar; Abdul Azeez Aal Ash Shaykh, current Mufti of the kingdom of Sau di Arabia comments: Allah judged that no person shall bear the burden of another person s sin due to Hi s absolute justness. The Messenger of Allah, may peace be upon him, informed us that Allah said: O My Servants, indeed I have prohibited injustice for myself, and I have prohibit ed it amongst you. The noble scholar; Abdul Azeez Aal Ash Shaykh comments:

This is general to all mankind, whether they are Muslim or not, it is not permiss ible for any one person to oppress another even if they were enemies or harbored hatred for one another. Enmity and hatred do not authorize anyone in the legisl ation of Islam to be unjust or practice oppression. The former Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh Abdul Azeez ibn Baaz states:

It is not permissible for Muslims to transgress upon non-Muslims, not in their pe rson, their wealth or their reputations if they are formal residents in a Muslim country, have a treaty with Muslims or are under Muslim protection, rather they

must be given their rights. Muslims must not transgress upon non-Muslims by ste aling from, betraying or cheating them with regards to their wealth. Likewise th ey mustn t physically transgress upon them by hitting them and so on. The fact tha t they are residents, under treaty or protection secures them from that. The noble scholar; Salilh al Luhaydan, chairman of the higher judiciary council of Saudi Arabia states: During battles, the Messenger of Allah would advice the army: Do not kill women, children, the elderly and those devoted to worship in their re ligious centers. This means that Islam does not permit killing anyone except those who kill, wage war or oppress Muslims. An Nawawi, a distinguished scholar from the 12th century states: There is a consensus amongst the scholars that killing women and children is proh ibited in battle except if they themselves engage in battle. ********************************************************************* Islam: An Invitation to Think! http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144:islam-an-i nvitation-to-think&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid=191 Islam: The fastest growing religion in the world, specifically, the fastest grow ing religion amongst women and young people. Why?! Considering the negative pres s given to Islam and the Muslims in recent years, why is it that so many are tur ning to Islam; a religion often mentioned in the same breath as terms such as 'o ppressive', 'backward' and 'tyrannical.' Say: O people of the Scripture: Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah (God), and that we shall ascribe no partners to unt o Him, and that none of us shall take lords besides Allah (God). And if they tur n away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him). (Qur an: 3:64) This open lecture given at York University in Toronto (2005) was an invitation f or Non-Muslims to enter a dialogue about Islam. An opportunity not only learn ab out the reality of Islam but an opportunity to enter a dialogue towards agreemen t that the Supreme Creator should be singled out in Worship. Unlike a prototypic al lecture, this event was more of a discourse between the speaker and the audie nce creating a unique experience for all involved. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/invitationtothink.mp3 Listen to the Q&A Session... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/invitationtothink2.mp3 *********************************************************************** What was the Religion of Christ Jesus? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=264:what-was-t he-religion-of-christ-jesus&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messenger&Itemid=174

An intriguing lecture exploring the true religion of the Jesus the Messiah. An intriguing lecture exploring the true religion of the Jesus the Messiah. The lecturer explains the Islamic belief in Jesus (based upon Quranic evidence) an d challenges the listener to produce a clear emphatic text from the Bible suppo rting the modern-day Trinitarian belief of Jesus being God and an object of Wors hip. Using primarily textual evidence (from a variety of sources, Muslim and non -Muslim) and sound reasoning, the audience is encouraged to adopt the actual rel igion of the beloved Prophet Jesus, the same religion as Moses, Abraham and Muha mmad (may Allaah be pleased with all of them), that being the religion of tawhee d (monotheism). A poignant exchange between the lecturer and the attendees follows in the Q&A pe riod; this lecture is an important eye-opener and an inspirational plea to one w ho truly loves Jesus, to follow his religion and to worship his Lord, the Creato r of all. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/whatwasthereligionofchristjesus.mp3 **************************************************************************** Searching for Happiness? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=158:searchingfor-happiness&catid=44:purpose-of-life&Itemid=192 Happiness is a common goal that everyone strives to attain. Philosophers, intell ectuals, doctors and artists alike, all are in search of the causes of happiness and ways to escape anxiety. The reality is however, that the solutions being pr esented achieve only partial or imaginary happiness. They are more or less like drugs, taken to feel temporary relief, but when their effect withdraws, anxietie s return twice fold. This booklet before you invites you to ultimate happiness a nd will take you by the hand towards true success. An invitation from Dr. Saleh as Sindee of the Islamic University of Madeenah, Saudi Arabia. "A reality that cannot be denied is that permanent happiness cannot be achieved except by believing in God and following His guidance. Since it is He who create d mankind, therefore it is He who knows what pleases, benefits, saddens and harm s them. A number of philosophers have admitted that religious people lead conten t, worriless lives. So if believing in God leads to ultimate happiness, then how can this be achieved?" Download this Article... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/pdfs/searchingforhappiness.pdf?phpMyAdmin=87ae981 f0d4998cebcf20c55edf41cbb *************************************************************************** Why Should 'You' be Muslim? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=202:why-should -you-be-muslim&catid=44:purpose-of-life&Itemid=192 Consists of an introductory lecture to a mixture of Muslim and non-Muslim audien ce about the basic message and beliefs of Islaam. Hundreds of people have accept ed Islam after listening to this talk. Probably the most famous lecture delivered by Dawud Adib. It consists of an int

roductory lecture to a mixture of Muslim and non-Muslim audience about the basic message and beliefs of Islaam. An inspiring message from a former non-Muslim f rom America who was preparing to be a Christian Minister before accepting Islam in his twenties. He has lectured around the world to Muslim and non-Muslims alik e including stops in the West Indies, Ireland and Japan. An audio lecture you ca n't afford to miss.... Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/whymuslim.mp3 ******************************************************************************** *** How a Person Becomes Muslim? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=203:how-a-pers on-becomes-muslim&catid=44:purpose-of-life&Itemid=192 The most important information on this website for a person who is ready to subm it fully to the will of his Lord who is one, without partners. Muslim means 'one who submits', understood in the context of submission fully to the will of the Creator which includes entering His Religion and following the rules prescribed therein. This in turn ensures Paradise in the hereafter. "We have to consider that when we declare from our heart that "there is no god ( deity) worthy to be worshipped but Allah", it implies on our part love, devotion , faith and obedience to the rules of Islaamic legislations which are legally bi nding on all Muslims. The Co-operative Office for Call and Guidance - Riyadh, Sa udi Arabia" All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe. May peace and blessings of All aa be upon Muhammad, His last messenger. The purpose of this hand out is to correct a false idea spread among those willi ng to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people have a wrong notion that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islaam, should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities, as evidence to tha t effect. We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of these con ditions or obligations are required. For Allah, Almighty, is above all comprehen sion and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for the m many matters including the possibility of performing Hajj (Pilgrimage to the H oly City of Makkah) and Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). If anyone has a real desire lief that Islam is the true n, one should pronounce the delay. The Noble Qur an is to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong be religion ordained by Allah for all human-beings, the "Shahaadah", the testimony of faith, without further explicit on this regard as Allaah states:

"The Religion in the sight of Allaah is Islaam." (Qur an 3:19) In another verse of the Noble Qur'an, Allaah states: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islaam (Submission to Allaah), Never wi ll it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those

who have lost (their selves in the hell fire)." (Qur an 3:85) In addition, Islam is the only religion prevailing over all other religions. All ah states in the Noble Qur'an: "To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came befo re it, and guarding it in safety:..." (Qur an 5:48) Muhammad, the Prophet of Allaah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said: The superstructure of Islam is raised on five (pillars): 1. Testifying that there is no God (none truly to be worshiped) but Allah, and t hat Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, 2. Performing the prayer (meaning the formal obligatory daily prayer of a Musli m, other non-formal prayers are not obligatory and may be performed when the per son wishes), 3. Paying the Zakaah (poor-due, an annual 2.5% {amount varies depending upon wha t is the nature of the wealth, e.g. gold, money, livestock etc} portion of your wealth which is to be distributed amongst the poor), 4. Fasting the month of Ramadhaan (fasting from dawn to sunset), 5. Performing Hajj (a pilgrimage to the Ka bah (sacred house built by Aadam and re built by Ibraaheem) in Makkah, at least once in a lifetime for the person who is able to). The Shahaadah can be declared as follows: "ASH-HADU ANLA ILAAHA ILL-ALLAAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN RASOOL-ALLAAH". The English translation is: "I bear witness that there is no deity (none truly t o be worshipped) but, Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allaah", However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to only utter this testimony oral ly either in private or in public; but rather, he should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction and unshakeable faith. If one is truly sincere and compli es with the teachings of Islam in all his life, he will find himself a new born person. This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nea rer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until he be comes the embodiment of that faith. What would be next after declaring oneself a Muslim? One should then know the real concept underlying this testimony which means the Oneness of Allaah and meet its requirements. One must behave accordingly, applyi ng this true faith to every thing one speaks or does. What do the words of the " Shahada" signify? The significant point which every Muslim must know very well i s the truth that there is no God (deity) to be worshipped other than Allah. He glory be to Him - is the only true God, Who alone deserves to be worshipped, si nce He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creat ion with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who alone is worthy of worship.

The second part of the Shahaadah (i.e., Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasool-Allaa h) means that Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi was sallam - peace be upon him ) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions ab out this matter. In fact the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (sal lallaahu alayhi was sallam - peace be upon him), to believe him in what he has sa id, to practice his teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship Al lah alone according to the message revealed to him, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by Allah. What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service, showing reverence for Allah. In a dee per shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Alla ah's commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or impl icit. Worship fall into two categories: Visible (manifest or outward) Invisible (concealed or inward) Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the "Shahaadah", performing prayers, giving Zakaah (the poor-due), recitation of the Qur an, suppl ication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc . This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of the human bod y. Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgement (in the Hereaf ter), in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Prophets of Allaah, in the Di vine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allaah alone). This type of worship does not involve movement of parts of the body but it surely has bearing on one's heart which subsequently affects one's way of life. It should be bore in mind that any worship not dedicated to Allah alone will be rejected a s one form of polytheism and this causes apostasy from the Islamic fold (for the one who believes that worshipping someone besides Allaah is good and correct, t he one who may have done this by mistake should immediately repent and seek Alla ah's forgiveness). The next step for a new revert to Islam is to purify himself by taking a complet e bath. He should then resolve to comply with the principles and rules of Islaam in their entirety. He should disown all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteo us is one of the requisites of the motto of Islaam - that is, Laa Ilaaha Illalla ah. (none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah) Allaah states in the Nob le Qur aan: "...whoever rejects evil and believes in Allaah hath grasped the most trustworth y Hand-hold, that never breaks..." (Qur aan 2:256). We have to consider that when we declare from our heart that "there is no god (d eity) worthy to be worshipped but Allah", it implies on our part love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islaamic legislations which are legally bin ding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of "there is no god worthy to be worshi pped but Allaah" to love for the sake of Allaah and to reject for the sake of Al laah. We conclude with a humble prayer to Allaah that may He cleanse the hearts and so

uls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers. Aameen. ******************************************************************************** **** The Wisdom in the Creator (Allah) making Creation http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=204:the-wisdom -in-the-creator-allah-making-creation&catid=44:purpose-of-life&Itemid=192 What were we created for? Where we created without purpose? Find out in this art icle. "And did you think that We created you in jest (for a pastime) and that you woul d not be returned to Us? [Qur'an, 23:115]" All Praise belongs to Allah and He is Sufficient. Peace and Blessings be upon Hi s Servants whom He chose. To Proceed: Know - may Allah direct you - that Allaah the Exalted created the Cr eation so that it may worship Him and not associate anything (as a partner or eq ual) to Him. The Exalted said: And I have not created Jinn and Men except that they may worship Me [Dhaariyaat (The Winds that Scatter) 51:56] He also said: And did you think that We created you in jest (for a pastime) and that you would not be returned to Us? [Mu'minoon (Believers) 23:115] Also His speech: Do they not think deeply in their own souls - We did not create the Heavens and the Earth and all that is between them except with Truth and for a term appointe d. [Sajdah (Prostration) 32:8] The final Messenger, Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) said: Indeed Allaah has appointed you as vicegerents upon the Earth to see how y ou would behave... [Saheeh Muslim] ******************************************************************************** ******** Shirk (Polytheism): The Ultimate Crime http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=211:shirk-poly theism-the-ultimate-crime&catid=46:polytheism-association-with-allah&Itemid=194 Explaining the severity of the worst crime a person can commit, attributing part ners in worship with our Creator. "But when a person commits shirk (poltheism), they attempt to, willingly or unwi llingly, direct an injustice towards the one who has provided them with all thes e necessary things - and often a whole lot more. This One who provides us with a ll our needs and wants is of course Allah, the Lord of this universe. So is it r ight for us to commit this offence against the one who has provided us with all

that we could possibly need? - Invitation to Islam" Murder, rape, child molesting and genocide. These are all some of the appalling crimes which occur in our world today. Many would think that these are the worst possible offences which could be committed. But there is something which outwei ghs all of these crimes put together: It is the crime of shirk (associating part ners with the sole Lord and Creator). Some people may question this notion. But when viewed in a proper context, the f act that there is no crime worse then shirk, will become evident to every sincer e person. There is no doubt that the above crimes are indeed terrible, but their compariso n with shirk shows that they do not hold much significance in relation to this t ravesty. When a man murders, rapes or steals, the injustice which is done is dir ected primarily at other humans. But when a man commits shirk, the injustice is directed towards the Creator of the heavens and the earth; Allah. When a person is murdered, all sorts of reasons and explanations are given. But one thing that the murderer cannot claim, is that the murdered was someone who provided him wi th food, shelter, clothing and all the other things which keep humans aloft in t his life. But when a person commits shirk, they attempt to, willingly or unwillingly, dire ct an injustice towards the One who has provided them with all these necessary t hings - and often a whole lot more. This Being who provides us with all our need s and wants is of course Allah, the Lord of this universe. So is it right for us to commit this offence against the one who has provided us with all that we cou ld possibly need? This is the ultimate form of ingratitude which humans display, and will eventually cause many people eternal pain. The severity of this crime has been established, but until now you may have been wondering 'what exactly is shirk?' The Reality of Shirk In the previous issue we talked about Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah). Shirk is i ts exact opposite. Linguistically, shirk means a partnership or to share or asso ciate. However, Islamically it is to give to other than Allah, that which belong s solely to Allah. This means that parts of Allah's creation are given powers an d attributes which belong to Allah, thus, ultimately sending worship to other th en Allah alone. These parts of the creation therefore become partners with Allah . The purpose of our creation is outlined in the Qu'ran when Allah says: "I did not create the Jinn[1] and mankind except to worship Me" (Adh-Dhariyaat, The Winds that Scatter 51:56) Our very existence on this earth is to worship Allah alone. By committing shirk, a person ends up denying this very purpose of our creation. To Allah, this is t he gravest of sins and thus unforgivable. Allah says: "Surely Allaah will not forgive the association of partners (shirk) with Him, bu t He forgives (sins) less then that to whomever He wishes" (An-Nisaa', The Women 4:48) This means that everything can be forgiven except shirk. However we should not m isunderstand this into thinking that those who commit shirk are totally doomed. Allah calls himself by al-Gaffoor (The Most Forgiving), and truly he is the Most

Forgiving. If a person commits shirk and then wishes to make repentance, Allah accepts his repentance and wipes the slate clean. But if the person does not mak e repentance during his lifetime, then Allah will not forgive this person on the day of judgement. Hellfire will be made eternal and he/she will never come out. It must also be remembered that Allah through his justice, has not discriminate d in the punishment of this crime. If a Muslim commits shirk during his lifetime , and does not make repentance, he too will face the eternal fury of the Hellfir e. It is this thought which helps Muslims from becoming too complacent and arrog ant like some of the previous nations.[2] Some people say that eternal Hellfire is unjust. But indeed Allah is the Most Ju st. While some will go to Hell forever for committing shirk, there will be other s who will go to Paradise forever for upholding Tawheed. Those who say that Alla h is unjust for sending some to Hell forever, should therefore also say that All ah is unjust for sending others to Paradise forever! But we know that those who claim this, would never themselves refuse an everlasting reward such as Paradise , thus showing the weak human understanding of this argument. By committing shirk we should not fool ourselves into thinking that we harm Alla h in anyway. Rather we harm ourselves with the threat of Allah's punishment. It is as if humans stick two fingers up at Allah after He has favoured them with so much. Thus a crime is committed against Allah, yet it does not harm Him - Such is the magnitude and greatness of our Creator. In order to understand how shirk manifests itself in our world, we need to look at how it relates to the categori es of Tawheed (mentioned in the last issue). Shirk in Allaah's Lordship (Ruboobiyyah) This category of shirk has two aspects: (i) Shirk by Association - As Muslims we believe that it is Allah alone who Cont rols and Sustains the universe. Those who commit shirk by association believe th at Allah is the Creator, but other parts of the creation also play a role in the running of the world. A classic example of this is the Christian concept of Tri nity. Christians believe that God (Allah) alone does not regulate the affairs of mankind. They believe that the other two parts of the Trinity, Jesus (peace be upon him) and the holy spirit, also play a part in worldly affairs e.g Jesus pro nounces judgement on the world and the holy spirit helps Christians through thei r daily lives. Qualities such as these should only belong to Allah. Hindus also commit this kind of shirk, with them having hundreds of different Gods for diffe rent aspects of their lives. Unfortunately some Muslims have also fallen prey to this shirk. There are many f rom the Indian subcontinent who often call out for help upon saints and holy men who have passed away. One of the main saints whom they invoke is 'Abdul-Qadir a l-Jeelanee'[3] whom they call 'AI-Ghawth-e-Azam' (the greatest source of help). (ii) Shirk by Negation - Over the centuries many philosophies and ways of life h ave denied the existence of God. Buddhism and Jainism are amongst the major worl d religions which assert this belief. During the 18th and 19th centuries the adv ancement of scientific knowledge led many philosophers and scientists to claim t hat God was a figment of mans imagination. By cancelling the role of a supreme l egislator, those who claim that God does not exist, ultimately attempt to make t hemselves masters of their own destinies. Some atheists also give Allah's attrib utes to his creation. By denying Allah, they say the world is eternal with no be ginning and no end. And we know that this is only for Allah. Shirk in Allaah's Names and Attributes (Asma wa Sifaat)

This category of shirk has two aspects: (i) -Shirk by Humanisation - The Tawheed of Allah's names and attributes demands that we believe Allaah to be free from any human likeness. Those who commit shi rk by humanisation give attributes to God which are more appropriate for human b eings than an all-powerful Creator. Modern-day Christianity is again guilty of t his shirk. In the Bible we find countless examples of God being given human attr ibutes. In the book of Genesis, God is said to have created the world in six day s and then rested on the seventh!! In other places God is said to have repented for his bad thoughts and felt sorry because of his actions! This form of shirk has even taken some people beyond the limits of sanity. In In dia there are many Hindus who worship the Shiva Lingam Deity. This is an idol wh ich is shaped and sized to represent the male genitals. For the Hindus it repres ents the reproductive powers of God, and they display their affection by massagi ng the deity with milk, water and butter! These examples of humanisation are indeed an injustice to the almighty, who resp onds clearly by saying in the Qur`an: "There is nothing like Him and He sees and hears all things" (Ash-Shoora, The Co nsultation 42:11) (ii) - Shirk by Deification - This form of shirk occurs when created beings are given the names or attributes of Allah and thus become deities. This form of shi rk is especially popular with humans, with many people being given a God-like st atus by ignorant followers. Jesus, Buddha, Rama, Zoroaster and many other famous religious figures of the past have been held to be incarnations of the all migh ty. The twentieth Century has also seen many cults emerge, from which many leade rs have claimed divinity. Sai Baba [4], David Koresh [5], Guru Rajnishi [6] and many more have all claimed this attribute which only belongs to Allaah. Shirk in the Worship of Allaah (Ibaadah) This category of shirk has two aspects: (i) Major Shirk (Shirk al-Akbar)- As Muslims we believe that alI forms of worshi p should be for Allah alone. Those people who physically direct their worship at other then Allah, commit this major shirk. By doing this action, mankind commit s the greatest act of rebellion and places himself at the doors of eternal hellf ire. Worship in Christianity is usually devoid of God's name, and Christians often bo w down in front of statues of Christ, Mary and many other saints of Christendom. Many of them even ask the dead saints to grant them children and to forgive the m of their sins! All this contradicts the statement of Allaah when he commands u s to: "Say; Truly my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allaah, Lo rd of the worlds" (Al-An'aam, The Cattle 6:162) Major shirk is rampant amongst the worlds population and is ultimately the obsta cle to our salvation. (ii) Minor Shirk (Shirk al-Asghar) - "Mahmood bin Lubayd reported essenger (peace be upon him) said: 'The thing that I fear for you nor shirk'. The companions asked: 'O' Messenger of Allah, what is He replied: 'Showing off (ar-riyaa), for verily Allah will say on that Allah's M the most is mi minor shirk?' the day of res

urrection when people are receiving their rewards, 'Go to those whom you were sh owing off too in the world and see if you can find any reward from them'" [7]. When doing righteous deeds our intentions should be to please the one who sustai ns and keeps us alive. It should not be to please those who have done nothing in comparison to what the Creator has done. Showing off has become a disease among st humans, and tears away at any sincerity which may be present inside a person. Thus Islam is probably the only way of life which regulates this minor action, and places its danger in a proper context. To know of the dangers of shirk should be of primary importance. Whether we are Muslim or not, we should realise that it is the crime of shirk which has led to the destruction of our world. By taking man away from the worship of Allah, it h as led him to the worship of other men, leading to oppression and tyranny. By co nfining man to the narrowness of this world, it will deny him the vastness of th e hereafter, which leads to justice and success. Therefore surely . . . . shirk is the ultimate crime.

Footnotes: 1 Jinn's are another part of Allah's creation. They were created from smokeless fire and are (like man) required to worship Allah, the live on this earth along with us, yet we are not able to see them. 2 The Jewish people were granted many favours by Allah. But this favouritism res ulted in them becoming arrogant, and the favours of Allaah were taken away from them. 3 Abdul-Qadir AI-Jeelanee was born in Jeelan (Iran) in the year 1077 CE. He was a jurist of the Hanbalite school of Islamic law. Many miracles have been falsely attributed to him, elevating him up to a God-like status. He himself was very h arsh against those who opposed Tawheed. The Qaadiree sufi order is named after h im. He died in the year 1166 CE. 4 Sai Baba is an Indian Holy man who claims the loyalty of millions worldwide th rough his multi-faith cult. He is deified to such an extent that his followers w ake up at dawn every day to pray to him. 5 David Koresh was the leader of a branch davidian sect based in Waco, Texas, U. S.A. Koresh reinterpreted the teachings of the Bible to proclaim himself as the son of God. The cult was ended in 1993, when a fire killed most of Koresh's foll owers after a shootout with FBI officers. 6 Guru Rajnishi was the leader of a major American commune during the eighties. The cult lost momentum after it was accused of the attempted murder of an Americ an politician. 7 Authentic narration - Narrated by Ahmed, Baihaqee and Tabaranee. *********************************************************************** The Key Differences Between Islam and Christianity http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=161:the-key-di fferences-between-islam-and-christianity&catid=46:polytheism-association-with-al lah&Itemid=194 The similarities between Islam, Christianity and Judaism are often discussed but what is it that sets Islam apart from Christianity? "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in yo ur religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth. The Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), so n of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, ("Be!" - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Ruh) created by

Him; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allh is (the only) One Ilh (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens an d all that is in the earth. And Allah is All Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs. (An-Nisa 4:171)" Some people respect the Islamic belief but consider it unnecessary to become 'Mu slims.' This lecture was given to an audience of Muslims and Christians (both Ca tholics and Protestants) in predominantly Christian, N. Ireland. Belfast is a ci ty which was wrecked by paramilitary war for decades in which Catholics and Prot estants have often considered each others version of Christianity as something f oreign, the religion of Islam is something distant and unknown to many in the pr ovince, this lecture was given to promote dialogue, discussion and eventual agre ement that Allah (Almighty God) is to be worshiped alone, furthermore that the c all of Moses, Jesus and all other prophets of this One, True God was 'one call', a monotheistic call which is the basis of Islam. From the topics discussed: The Nature of 'God' Anthropomorphism Muhammad, the Muslim substitue for Jesus (in divinity)? Multiple Messengers, a Single Message (Tawheed - Montheism) Prophets: Divinely commissioned not solely 'Divine' The Concept of the 'Trinity' Extensive Q&A with the Audience The Creator of the Universe stated in the Qur'an: O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in you r religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth. The Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, ("Be!" - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Ruh) created by H im; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Cease! ( it is) better for you. For Allh is (the only) One Ilh (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is All Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs. (An-Nisa 4:171) And they (Jews, Christians and pagans) say: Allah has begotten a son (children o r offspring). Glory be to Him (Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). Nay, to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth, and all surre nder with obedience (in worship) to Him. (Al-Baqarah 2:116) Say: O people of the Scripture: Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah (God), and that we shall ascribe no partners to unt o Him, and that none of us shall take lords besides Allah (God). And if they tur n away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him). (Qur an: 5:72) So if they dispute with you (Muhammad) say: "I have submitted myself to Allah (i n Islam), and (so have) those who follow me." And say to those who were given th e Scripture (Jews and Christians) and to those who are illiterates (Arab pagans) : "Do you (also) submit yourselves (to Allah in Islam)?" If they do, they are ri ghtly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message; an d Allah is All-Seer of (His ) slaves. (Aali Imran 3:20) Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/racism.mp3

******************************************************************************** ** Confirmation that Judaism and Christianity are Forms of Disbelief http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=209:confirmati on-that-judaism-and-christianity-are-forms-of-disbelief&catid=46:polytheism-asso ciation-with-allah&Itemid=194 Islam is the only religion acceptable to the creator. It is the first faith, the unanimous monotheistic religion confirmed and re-confirmed by every Prophet an d Messenger. "SoJesus said, as His Lord states in the Quran, "O Israel, I am the Messenger of Allaah for you confirming the Torah (which came) before me, and giving glad tid ings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad [one of the names of t he Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him]. But when he came to them with clear proo fs, they said, This is clear magic. " [as-Saff, The Rank 61:6] - Quoted by Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen, renowned Islamic Scholar (who died in 1420H / 2000 CE )" Question: One of the preachers in one of the mosques in Europe claimed that it i s not allowed to consider Jews and Christians disbelievers. You know - may Allah preserve you - that most of the people who attend the mosques in Europe have ve ry little knowledge. We fear that statements like this one will become widesprea d. Therefore, we request from you a complete and clear answer to this question. Answer: I say: The statement that came from that man is misguidance. In fact, it can be blasphemy. This is because Allah has declared that Jews and Christians a re disbelievers (kuffaar) in His Book. Allaah has said, "And the Jews say, Ezra i s the son of Allaah, and the Christians say, The Messiah is the son of Allaah. This is a saying from their mouths. They imitate the saying of the disbelievers of o ld. Allaah s curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth. They took their rabbis and their monks as lords besides Allaah and [they also took as Lor d] the Messiah, son of Mary. But they were commanded only to worship none but On e God. Praise and Glory be to Him, [far above is He] from having the partners th ey associate with Him." [at-Tawbah, The Repentance 9:30-31] That shows that they are polytheists who associate partners with Allah. In other verses, Allah has m ade it clear that they are disbelievers: "Surely in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is the Messiah, son of Mary." [al-Maidah, The Table Spead with Food 5:17 and 72] "Surely, disbelievers are those who said, Allaah is the third of the three [in a Trinity]." [al-Maidah, The Table Spead with Food 5:73] "Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus, son of Mary." [al-Maidah, The Table Spead with Food 5:87] "Those who disbelieve among the People of the Book and the idolaters will abide in the Fire of Hell." [al-Bayyinah, The Clear Evidence 98:6] Many verses and hadeeth express the same meaning. The one who rejects the idea t hat the Jews and the Christians who do not believe in Muhammad [peace be upon hi m] and deny him are disbelievers is, in fact, denying what Allah has said. Denyi ng what Allah has said is blasphemy. If anyone has any doubt concerning them bei ng disbelievers, then he himself is also a disbeliever. Glory be to Allah!

How could that man be pleased to say that it is not allowed to say that they are disbelievers when they themselves say that Allah is one of a Trinity? Their Cre ator Himself has declared that they are disbelievers. How could this man not be pleased to call them disbelievers when they actually s ay, "Jesus is the son of God" or "the hand of Allah is tied," and "Allah is poor and we are rich"? How could this man not be pleased to call them disbelievers and apply the word o f disbelief (kufr) to them in general when they describe their Lord in such ways that are nothing but cursing and abusing Allah? I call upon that man to repent to Allah and to read Allah s words, "They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them, so that they (to o) would compromise with you." [al-Qalam, The Pen 68:9] He should make it clear to everyone that they are disbelievers and that they are the inhabitants of the Hell-fire (note added: if they die upon disbelief). The Prophet (peace be upon h im) said, "By the One in whose hand my soul is, no Jew or Christian of this comm unity hears about me - that is from the community of people from the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) until the Day of Judgment - and then does not follo w me - or he said does not believe in what I brought - except that he is from th e inhabitants of the Hell-fire." [Saheeh Muslim] The one who made such a statement must repent to his Lord because of this great falsehood he has stated. He must make a clear announcement that they are disbeli evers and that they are inhabitants of the Hell-fire. He must also announce that it is obligatory upon them to follow the unlettered Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). he is the one that the Jews and the Christians know and they know him like they know their own sons. Allah has stated, "Those who follow the Messenge r, the illiterate Prophet whom they find written about with them in the Torah an d the Gospel, he commands what is right and forbids what is evil. He allows them the good things and forbids for them disdainful things. He releases them from t heir heavy burdens and from the fetters that were upon them. So those who believ e in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which has been sent down wi th him, it is they who will be successful." [al-Araf, The Heights 7:157] He is the one of whom Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him) gave glad tidings. Jesus said, as His Lord states in the Quran, "O Israel, I am the Messenger of Al laah for you confirming the Torah (which came) before me, and giving glad tiding s of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad [one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him]. But when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, This is clear magic. " [as-Saff, The Rank 61:6] When the one, Ahmad, who was promised came to them with clear signs, they said t hat it was nothing but magic. By this, we can refute those Christians who say th at the one Jesus promised was named Ahmad and not Muhammad. We say to that that Allaah said, "When he came with clear proofs," and none has come to you after Je sus except Muhammad (peace be upon him). Muhammad is Ahmad and Allah inspired Je sus to call Muhammad Ahmad. This is because Ahmad is a name from the root meanin g, "to praise," and the name itself means, "One who praises Allaah more than oth ers." Therefore, [Muhammad (peace be upon him)] is the most praiseworthy of Alla ah among all peoples... I further say: If anyone claims that there is a religion on earth other than Isl am that is acceptable to Allah, then the person who made that claim is a disbeli ever and there is no doubt about his disbelief. This is because Allah has said i n His Book, "Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepte d from him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." ['aali-Imraan, Th e Family of Imraan 3:85]. Allaah has also said, "Truly, the religion in the sigh t of Allah is Islam" ['aali-Imraan, The Family of Imraan 3:19]. Another verse st

ates, "This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upo n you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" [al-Ma'ida, The Table Spr ead with Food 5:3] Based on that - and I repeat it for a third time - the person who made that stat ement [mentioned in the question] must repent to Allah, Most High. And he must a lso make it clear to all the people that those Jews and Christians are disbeliev ers. This is so because the proof has been established against them, they have r eceived the message but they have refused to believe. The Jews have been described as those who have earned Allah s wrath. That is becau se they knew the truth and chose to go against it. The Christians have been desc ribed as those who have gone astray. This is because they sought the truth but w ere misled from it. Now, all of them have knowledge of the truth and recognize i t. However, they go against it. Therefore, they all deserve to have the wrath of Allah upon them. I call all those Jews and Christians to believe in Allah and a ll of His Messengers. I call upon them to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is what they have been ordered to do in their own books. Allah s tates in the Quran, "My Mercy embraces all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain f or those who are God-fearing and give zakat (charity), and those who believe in Our revelations. Those who follow the Messenger, the illiterate Prophet whom the y find written about with them in the Torah and the Gospel, he commands what is right and forbids what is evil. He allows them the good things and forbids for t hem disdainful things. He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the fe tters that were upon them. So those who believe in him, honour him, help him, an d follow the light which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be suc cessful. Say (O Muhammad): O Mankind! Verily, I am sent to all of you as the Mes senger of Allah, to whom belongs the heavens and the earth. There is no true God but He. It is He who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His M essenger, the unlettered, who believes in Allaah and His Words. And follow him s o that you may be guided." [al-Araf, The Heights 7:156-158]. [By having such faith, those converts from Judaism and Christianity] shall recei ve their reward twice. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "There a re three people who will receive their rewards twice: A person from the People o f the Book [Jews and Christians] who believed in his prophet and believed in Muh ammad..." [al-Bukhari and Muslim]. I have also found in the law book al-Iqna`, in the section on apostasy, where th e author has stated, "One who does not consider as a disbeliever one who follows a religion other than Islam, such as the Christians, or who has doubt about the ir disbelief or who approves of their way himself is a disbeliever." And he quot es Ibn Taymiyyah (a Scholar from the middle ages) as saying, "[The following is] a disbeliever: Whoever believes that churches are the houses of Allah in which he He is worshipped or who thinks that what the Jews and Christians do are valid acts of worship of Allah and obedience to Him and His Messenger, or loves or ap proves of what they do, or aids them in having such places and establishing thei r religion, and he does so thinking that is a way of getting closer to Allah or worshipping Allah." He also stated, "If someone believes that visiting the Jews and the Christians in their places of worship is an act that brings him closer t o Allah, then he is an apostate." These statements support what was stated in the text of the answer. This is a ma tter concerning which there is no room for doubt. And help is sought only with A llah. This question was responded by Imaam Ibn Uthaymeen, Fataawa Islamiyyah, vol. 1, p. 87 Islam - The Religion of all the Prophets

******************************************************************************** **************** Was Ezra ('Uzayr) called the Son of God? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=210:was-ezra-u zayr-called-the-son-of-god&catid=46:polytheism-association-with-allah&Itemid=194 Showing that the Jews are no less guilty in terms of the claim that the Christia ns have concerning Jesus. Rather, the Jews themselves despite rebuking the Chris tians call Uzayr the son of Allah! "The Jews call Uzayr a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Al lah. That is the saying from their mouth; (In this) they are intimate; what the Unbelievers of the old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are delud ed away from the truth. [Qur aan 9:30]" 'Uzayr, who was exalted by a community of Jews, is identified as Ezra by Muslim commentators. The Qur'an says: The Jews call 'Uzayr a son of Allaah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allaah. That is the saying from their mouth; (In this) they are intimate; what t he Unbelievers of the old used to say. Allaah's curse be on them: how they are d eluded away from the truth. [Qur'an 9:30] Before we take care of the origin of the issue of exalting Ezra to son of God by some Jews, let us first discuss the life of the man himself. Ezra (5th-4th century BC, Babylon and Jerusalem) was a religious leader of the J ews who returned from exile in Babylon, and a reformer who reconstituted the Jew ish community on the basis of the Torah (Law, or the regulations of the first fi ve books of the Old Testament). This monumental work of Ezra helped to make Juda ism a religion in which law was central, that enabled the Jews to survive as a c ommunity when they were dispersed all over the world. Ezra has with some justice been called the father of Judaism since his efforts did much to give Jewish rel igion the form that was to characterize it for centuries after the specific form the Jewish religion took after the Babylonian Exile. So important was he in the eyes of his people that later tradition regarded him as no less than a second M oses (upon him be peace). Regarding the tomb of Ezra Encyclopedia Judaica says: "There are number of traditions concerning the site of Ezra's tomb. According to Josephus it is in Jerusalem; others hold that he was buried in Urta or in Zunzu mu on the Tigris; but the general accepted version is that his tomb is situated in Uzer, a village near Basra. This tradition is mentioned by Benjamin of Tuleda , Pethahiah of Regensburg, Judah Alharizi, and other travelers, Jewish and non-J ewish who visited Babylonia."[1] It is to be kept in mind that the knowledge about Ezra is derived from the Bibli cal books of Ezra and Nehemiah, supplemented by the Apocryphal (not included in the Jewish and Protestant canons of the Old Testament) book of I Esdras (Latin V ulgate form of the name Ezra), which preserves the Greek text of Ezra and a part of Nehemiah. It is interesting to note that the Jews in Arabia, during the advent of Islam, w ere involved in mystical speculation as well as anthromorphizing and worshipping an angel that functions as the substitute creator of the universe. That angel i s usually identified as Metatron[2]. Newby notes that: ...we can deduce that the inhabitants of Hijaz during Muhammad's time knew porti ons, at least, of 3 Enoch in association with the Jews. The angels over which Me

tatron becomes chief are identified in the Enoch traditions as the sons of God, the Bene Elohim, the Watchers, the fallen ones as the causer of the flood. In 1 Enoch, and 4 Ezra, the term Son of God can be applied to the Messiah, but most o ften it is applied to the righteous men, of whom Jewish tradition holds there to be no more righteous than the ones God elected to translate to heaven alive. It is easy, then, to imagine that among the Jews of the Hijaz who were apparently involved in mystical speculations associated with the merkabah, Ezra, because of the traditions of his translation, because of his piety, and particularly becau se he was equated with Enoch as the Scribe of God, could be termed one of the Be ne Elohim. And, of course, he would fit the description of religious leader (one of the ahbar of the Qur'an 9:31) whom the Jews had exalted.[3] The Islamic exegetes have mentioned that there existed a community of Jews in Ye men who considered Ezra as son of God. Hirschberg says in Encyclopedia Judaica: H Z Hirschberg proposed another assumption, based on the words of Ibn Hazm, name ly, that the 'righteous who live in Yemen believed that 'Uzayr was indeed the so n of Allaah. According to other Muslim sources, there were some Yemenite Jews wh o had converted to Islam who believed that Ezra was the messiah. For Muhammad, E zra, the apostle (!) of messiah, can be seen in the same light as the Christian saw Jesus, the messiah, the son of Allah.[4] George Sale makes an interesting comment concerning the Muslim as well as JudeoChristian opinion on this issue. This grievous charge against the Jews, the commentators endeavour to support by telling us, that it is meant of some ancient heterdox Jews, or else of some Jews of Medina; who said so for no other reason, than for that the law being utterly lost and forgotten during the Babylonish captivity, Ezra having been raised to life after he had been dead one hundred years, dictated the whole anew unto the scribes, out of his own memory; at which they greatly marveled, and declared tha t he could not have done it, unless he were the son of God. Al Beidawi adds, tha t the imputation must be true, because this verse was read to the Jews and they did not contradict it; which they were ready enough to do in other instances. That Ezra did restore not only the Pentateuch, but also the other books of the O ld Testament, by divine revelation, was the opinion of several of the Christian fathers, who are quoted by Dr.Prideaux, and of some other writers; which they se em to have first borrowed from a passage in that very ancient apocryphal book, c alled in our English Bible, the second book of Esdras. Dr. Prideaux tells us, th at herein the Fathers attributed more to Ezra, than the Jews themselves, which h e laboured much in, and went a great way in the perfecting of it. It is not impr obable however, that the fiction came originally from the Jews, though they be n ow of another opinion, and I cannot fix it upon them by any direct proof. For, n ot to insist upon the testimony of the Mohammedans (which yet I cannot but think of some little weight in a point of this nature,) it is allowed by the most sag acious critics, that the second book of Ezra was written by a Christian indeed, but yet one who had been bred a Jew, and was intimately acquainted with the fabl es of the Rabbis; and the story itself is perfectly in the taste and was of thin king of those men.[5] It is also interesting to note that when Mary was address as Sister of Aaron, th e Christian from Najran wanted to clarify it. But when 'Uzayr was called the son of Allaah, the Jews did not object at all! Last but not the least, a Christian writer also proposed that Muhammad (peace be upon him) got the information of Jews exalting Ezra to son of God from the Sama ritans who said the Ezra had acted presumptuously and had changed the old divine alphabetical character of the holy Books of the Law - a character still used an d revered to this day by rapidly dwindling Samaritan community.[6] This author c

oncludes in a rather unchristian way that: But it is not at all unlikely that the source of Mohammed's indictment of the Je ws is to be found among the Samaritans or amongst Arab tribesmen of Samaritan st rain. If we found in Samaritan literature the opposite belief that Ezra (or Uzai r) was the son of Satan, we would be well-nigh sure of having settled the matter .[7] And Allaah knows best! -----------------------------------------------------------------------References: [1] Encyclopedia Judaica, Volume 6, Encyclopedia Judaica Jerusalem, pp. 1108. [2] G D Newby, A History Of The Jews Of Arabia, 1988, University Of South Caroli na Press, pp. 59. [3] Ibid, pp. 61. [4] Encyclopedia Judaica, pp. 1108. [5] George Sale, The Koran: IX Edition of 1923, London, pp. 152. [6] J Walker, Who Is 'Uzair?, The Moslem World, Volume XIX, No. 3, 1939, pp. 305 -306. ******************************************************************************** ********* The Distorted Image of Women in Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=214:the-distor ted-image-of-women-in-islam&catid=48:women-in-islam&Itemid=196 Allah is the creator of the heavens and the earth and all else that exists. Lear n about your creator and why you should submit to his will and accept Islam. "We will never find success and/or solutions to our problems until we realise th at Allah (Almighty God) knows best and that this disbelieving society will ruin itself." Since the height of the feminist movement in the late 70's there has been a magn ifying glass placed over the status of Muslim women. Unfortunately, the magnifyi ng glass that has been used is an unusual one. Unusual in the sense that it is v ery selective about which items it will magnify; other items it will distort to such a degree that they will no longer look familiar. I remember once reading in an "in depth" article about the lives of Muslim women. This article "explained" that at any time a man can divorce his wife by simply stating "I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you". This article can lead anyone ignorant of the Islam ic ruling regarding divorce to believe that in less than five seconds the woman is left with no husband and is left to care for herself (and possibly children) by any means necessary. The question that immediately popped up in my mind was, "Did the author innocently write that out of sincere ignorance or was it another of the many attempts to degrade the religion of Islam and its followers (muslim s)?" It may be my own paranoia, but I tend to believe it was the latter of the t wo. Muslim Men can instantaneously Divorce their Wives?

The truth of the matter is that Islam has the most humane and most just system o f divorce that exists. Firstly, many options are taken and tried before coming t o the decision of the divorce. If the man and woman decide that they can no long er live together successfully as a husband and wife, the husband (in most cases, not always) pronounces the divorce by saying "I divorce you". At this point the waiting period begins. The waiting period lasts for three menstrual cycles to a ssure the woman is not pregnant. This period allows the couple time to think abo ut what they are doing and if this is what they really want to do. There are no lawyers involved to antagonise an already delicate situation. In the case that i t is realised, that the woman is pregnant, the waiting period lasts the entire t ime she is pregnant. During the waiting period (whether the woman is pregnant or not) the man is obligated to provide food, clothing and shelter to the woman as he did before the divorce pronouncement. If the couple carries the divorce thro ugh to the birth of the child and the woman suckles the baby, the man is obligat ed to feed and clothe both his ex-wife for the time the woman suckles (the maxim um being two years). After this weaning, the child will be provided for by the f ather until he/she is no longer in need of support. It is quite ironic that in s uch an "advanced society" as America, there are divorce cases in which women are being forced to pay alimony to their ex-husbands. Can this and many other thing s we know about the American system of divorce compare to the Islamic system of divorce? Young Girls 'married-off' without their Consent? I have also read stories wherein it is stated that women are forced to marry men without their consent. This in no way resembles the marriage system in Islam. I n Islam the woman marries the man of her choice. She may even marry someone that her mother and/or father objects to. The point is that it is the woman who make s the final decision as to whom she will marry. Once the man and the woman decid e that they are interested in one another for marriage, a dowry is decided upon. A dowry is not a brides price but, it is a gift from the groom to the bride. Th ey agree upon a gift that is affordable by the groom. In the time of the Prophet (Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him), often things such as livestock and money were given. This is a wise decision in the event that a w oman becomes divorced or widowed, she has some financial security to fall back o n even if it is for a limited amount of time. Once the man and woman are married , the man is required to clothe, feed, shelter and educate her (or allow her to be educated) in the same manner as he does himself. The Hijab, Stone-age Oppresive Outerwear? The last distorted image that I will cover is that of the Muslim women's dress. The western influenced media portrays our dress to be outdated and oppressive. N eedless to say however, I differ with these adjectives. Our dress code does not hinder us from doing anything productive in our lives. Muslim women maintain a v ariety of jobs, none of which are devalued nor hampered due to their dress code. And as for the timing of muslims women's dress during these contemporary times, it seems most appropriate due to decreasing morals in the world today. For tho se who say that Islamic dress is outdated, they speak from great ignorance. The decreasing morality and trials of this time makes Hijab even more in need. More than ever before sex crimes are rampant. Although this society tells women they can wear what they want to wear, anytime a rape occurs the woman is the one put on trial an one of the first questions is, "What were you wearing?" This concept seems as though it is a set up directed against the so called contemporary woma n. Also there is a direct correlation between the respect a man has for a woman and the amount of her body her body she displays flauntingly. In conclusion, I h ope this article helped to clear up some distorted/misunderstood aspects of Isla m and women. Women in Islam are respected and held in high regard. We will never find success and/or solutions to our problems until we realise that Allaah know

s best and that this disbelieving society will ruin itself. ************************************************************************ My body is my own business, The Hijab, Freedom or Oppression?

http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=213:my-body-is -my-own-business-the-hijab-freedom-or-oppression&catid=48:women-in-islam&Itemid= 196 "A Canadian-born Muslim woman has taken to wearing the traditional hijab scarf. It tends to make people see her as either a terrorist or a symbol of oppressed w omanhood, but she finds the experience LIBERATING." "Wearing the hijab has given me freedom from constant attention to my physical s elf. Because my appearance is not subjected to public scrutiny, my beauty, or pe rhaps lack of it, has been removed from the realm of what can legitimately be di scussed." MULTICULTURAL VOICES: A Canadian-born Muslim woman has taken to wearing the trad itional hijab scarf. It tends to make people see her as either a terrorist or a symbol of oppressed womanhood, but she finds the experience LIBERATING. HEADLINE: MY BODY IS MY OWN BUSINESS By Naheed Mustafa I OFTEN wonder whether people see me as a radical, fundamentalist Muslim terrori st packing an AK-47 assault rifle inside my jean jacket. Or may be they see me a s the poster girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere. I'm not sure which it is. I get the whole gamut of strange looks, stares, and covert glances. You see, I w ear the hijab, a scarf that covers my head, neck, and throat (administator's not e: hijab means 'covering' in Arabic and refers in general to the entire covering of that which is legislated to be covered in Islam, not just the head-scarf). I do this because I am a Muslim woman who believes her body is her own private co ncern. Young Muslim women are reclaiming the hijab, reinterpreting it in light of its o riginal purpose -- to give back to women ultimate control of their own bodies. The Qur'an teaches us that men and women are equal, that individuals should not be judged according to gender, beauty, wealth, or privilege. The only thing that makes one person better than another is her or his character. Nonetheless, people have a difficult time relating to me. After all, I'm young, Canadian born and raised, university- educated -- why would I do this to myself, they ask. Strangers speak to me in loud, slow English and often appear to be playing chara des. They politely inquire how I like living in Canada and whether or not the co ld bothers me. If I'm in the right mood, it can be very amusing. But, why would I, a woman with all the advantages of a North American upbringing , suddenly, at 21, want to cover myself so that with the hijab and the other clo thes I choose to wear, only my face and hands show? Because it gives me freedom. WOMEN are taught from early childhood that their worth is proportional to their attractiveness. We feel compelled to pursue abstract notions of beauty, half rea

lizing that such a pursuit is futile. When women reject this form of oppression, they face ridicule and contempt. Whet her it's women who refuse to wear makeup or to shave their legs, or to expose th eir bodies, society, both men and women, have trouble dealing with them. In the Western world, the hijab has come to symbolize either forced silence or r adical, unconscionable militancy. Actually, it's neither. It is simply a woman's assertion that judgment of her physical person is to play no role whatsoever in social interaction. Wearing the hijab has given me freedom from constant attention to my physical se lf. Because my appearance is not subjected to public scrutiny, my beauty, or per haps lack of it, has been removed from the realm of what can legitimately be dis cussed. No one knows whether my hair looks as if I just stepped out of a salon, whether or not I can pinch an inch, or even if I have unsightly stretch marks. And becau se no one knows, no one cares. Feeling that one has to meet the impossible male standards of beauty is tiring a nd often humiliating. I should know, I spent my entire teen-age years trying to do it. It was a borderline bulimic and spent a lot of money I didn't have on pot ions and lotions in hopes of becoming the next Cindy Crawford. The definition of beauty is ever-changing; waifish is good, waifish is bad, athl etic is good -- sorry, athletic is bad. Narrow hips? Great. Narrow hips? Too bad . Women are not going to achieve equality with the right public, as some people would like to have you believe. arty to our own objectification. True equality will be need to display themselves to get attention and won't sion to keep their bodies to themselves. Islam - The Religion of all the Prophets to bear their breasts in That would only make us p had only when women don't need to defend their deci

************************************************************************* The Young Marriage of Aa ishah: The Wife of Prophet Muhammad http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=212:the-youngmarriage-of-aaishah-the-wife-of-prophet-muhammad&catid=48:women-in-islam&Itemid= 196 A response to orientalist rhetoric concerning Aa'ishah, the wife of Prophet Muha mmad (peace be upon him) being married at such a young age. "Keeping in mind the ideas of "political correctness" and "absolute morality", i n Biblical times, the age at which a girl could marry was puberty. However, duri ng the Middle Ages it was usually twelve years old. Now in most "Christian" coun tries it is between fourteen and sixteen years old." The marriage of the Prophet Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be up on him] to 'Aishah bint Abu Bakr when she was at quite a young age has been the focus of quite a bit of criticism in the West. Unfortunately, in this Neo-Coloni alist Age of smart bombs, MTV, CNN and the Big Mac, some of those who profess to be Muslims have themselves become critics. Many Muslims, faced with the juggern aut of allegedly "universal" Western liberal values that have permeated almost e veryone around them, sheepishly avoid discussion of such "embarrassing" Islamic issues. It is a keenly true observation that even though the European powers hav

e pulled their colonial armies out of Muslim lands and granted them "independenc e", an even worse plague continues. This curse is "Colonialism of the Mind" and it is more dangerous since it is much more subtle. This article will be a contri bution to making both Muslims and non-Muslims aware of not only the objective fa cts regarding the Prophet's [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] m arriage to 'Aishah, but how to understand it in light of Islam and life in the " modern" world. Regrettably, for those of us trying to spread the truth of Islam in the West, we often have to agree with the Orientalist W. Montgomery Watt when he wrote: "Of all the world's great men none has been so much maligned as Muhammad."1 But here , for a change, were are dealing with something that is an authentic part of Isl amic history, not an apocryphal or fabricated event that some Westerners have be en duped into believing is authentic, such as the so-called "Satanic Verses" inc ident. That a man in his fifties would marry such a young girl especially a man wh o is supposed to be a living example of piety is not only difficult for many "mode rn" Westerners to come to terms with, but it has even gone so far as to stir up disgusting "sexual misconduct" charges amongst them. In the face of such critici sm, Muslims have not always reacted well. In the past century, when so many Musl ims were so "Westoxicated" and ready to monkey Europeans in almost anything, the usual reaction was to deny the sources that reported the alleged "embarrassing problem". To Muslim "modernists", who argued that ONLY a legal ruling found in t he Qur'an was Islamically valid, brushing aside this aspect of the Prophet's lif e was rather easy. They simply denied that it had occurred and attacked the sour ces which reported it. Fortunately for Muslims, the apologetics of these "Uncle Toms of Islam" has faded into the periphery to a large extent. However, there ar e still many Muslims out there who try to get around what they see as a problem by ignoring authentic Islamic sources while claiming to be followers of the Ahl as-Sunnah. (which basically means "orthodox Sunni" Muslims, for those unfamiliar Islamic terminology). Many other Muslims possibly wonder whether the story is a uthentic and how to understand it if it is. THE ISLAMIC EVIDENCE OF 'AISHAH'S AGE Due to the apparent ignorance of many Muslims, possibly due to reading "modernis t" apologetic literature like that mentioned above, a look at what the authentic sources of Islam say about the age at which 'Aishah married the Prophet [May th e Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] is in order. This way, before we mov e on to an analysis of the facts, we will first establish what the authentic Isl amic facts are. At this point, it should be mentioned that it is absolutely poin tless from an Islamic standpoint to say that the age of 'Aishah is "not found in the Qur'an", since the textual sources of Islam are made up of BOTH the Qur'an and the Sunnah (the Prophet's statement, actions and tacit approvals) - and the Qur'an tells us that. For those wanting (or needing) to learn more about the sta tus of the Sunnah in Islam, please read An Introduction to the Sunnah and/or The Sunnah and Its Position in Islamic Law (see troid.org). Now in regards to what the authentic Islamic sources actually say, it may come as a disappointment to s ome "modern" and "cultured" Muslims that there are four ahadith (prophetic narra tions) in Saheeh al-Bukhari and three ahadith in Saheeh Muslim which clearly sta te that 'Aishah was "nine years old" at the time that her marriage was consummat ed with the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]. These ah adith, with only slight variation, read as follows: 'Aishah, may God be pleased with her, narrated that the Prophet [May the Peace a nd Blessings of Allah be upon him] was betrothed (zawaj) to her when she was six years old and he consummated (nikah) his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years. (Saheeh al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Boo k 62, Number 64)

Of the four ahadith in Saheeh al-Bukhari, two were narrated from 'Aishah (7:64 a nd 7:65), one from Abu Hishaam (5:236) and one via 'Ursa (7:88). All three of th e ahadith in Saheeh Muslim have 'Aishah as a narrator. Additionally, all of the ahadith in both books agree that the marriage betrothal contract took place when 'Aishah was "six years old", but was not consummated until she was "nine years old". Additionally, a hadeeth with basically the same text (matn) is reported in Sunan Abu Dawood. Needless to say, this evidence is Islamically speaking overwhelmi ngly strong and Muslims who deny it do so only by sacrificing their intellectual honesty, pure faith or both. This evidence having been established, there doesn't seem much room for debate a bout 'Aishah's age amongst believing Muslims. Until someone proves that in the A rabic language "nine years old" means something other than "nine years old", the n we should all be firm in our belief that she was "nine years old" (as if there 's a reason or need to believe otherwise!?!). In spite of these facts, there are still some Muslim authors that have somehow (?) managed to push 'Aishah's age o ut to as far as "fourteen or fifteen years old" at the time of her marriage to t he Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]. It should come as no surprise, however, that none of them ever offer any proof, evidence or refer ences for their opinions. This can be said with the utmost confidence, since cer tainly none of them can produce sources more authentic than the hadeeth collecti ons of Imams al-Bukhari and Muslim! Based on the research that I've done, I feel that there is a common source for those who claim that 'Aishah's age was "fourt een or fifteen years old" at the time of the marriage. This source is "The Biogr aphies of Prominent Muslims" which is published in book form, on CD-ROM and is p osted in several places on the Internet. Just another example of why going to th e sources is important . . . THE PROPHET'S MARRIAGES IN PERSPECTIVE To put all of this in perspective hopefully without undue apologetics the first thin g that one should be aware of is that 'Aishah was the third wife of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], not the first. Prior to this , the Prophet's[May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] first and only wife for twenty-four years was Khadijah bint al-Khuwaylid, who was about ninete en years older than him. He married Khadijah when she was forty and he was twent y-one which might be called the years of a male's "sexual prime" and stayed married ONLY to her until her death. Just after Khadijah's death, when he was round fort y-six years old, the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] married his second wife Sawdah bint Zam'ah. It was after this second marriage th at the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] became betroth ed to 'Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her. She was the daughter of Abu Bakr, one of the Prophet's closest friends and devoted followers. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of the earliest converts to Islam and hoped to soli dify the deep love that existed between himself and the Prophet [May the Peace a nd Blessings of Allah be upon him] by uniting their families in marriage. The be trothal of Abu Bakr's daughter 'Aishah to Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], took place in the eleventh year of Muhammad's prophethood , which was about a year after he had married Sawdah bint Zam'ah and before he m ade his hijra (migration) to al-Madinah (Yathrib). As mentioned above, the marri age with 'Aishah bint Abu Bakr was consummated in Shawwal, which came seven mont hs after the Prophet's hijra from Makkah to al-Madinah. At the time of his marri age to ''Aishah, the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] was over fifty years old. It should be noted that the Prophet's [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be u pon him]marriage to 'Aishah was an exceedingly happy one for both parties, as th

e hadeeth literature attests. 'Aishah, may God be please with her,was his favour ite wife and the only virgin that he ever married. After emigrating to al-Madina h, Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]married numerous o ther wives, eventually totalling fifteen in his lifetime. Even though we do not have time to go into the details of each one of them here, each of these marriag es was done either for political reasons, to strengthen the ties of kinship or t o help a woman in need. Quite a few of the wives were widows, older women or had been abandoned and thus were in need of a home. Additionally, it should be ment ioned that the same collection of Muslim hadeeth literature that tells us that ' Aishah was only nine years old at the time of the marriage tells us that the mar riage was Divinely ordained: Narrated 'Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her: Th e Messenger of Allah [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said (to me): "You have been shown to me twice in (my) dreams. A man was carrying you in a silken cloth and said to me, 'This is your wife.' I uncovered it; and behold, it was you. I said to myself, 'If this dream is from Allah, He will cause it to come true.'" (Saheeh Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 15) Thus like everythin g that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] did, there was wisdom behind it and lessons to be learned from it. The wisdom behind such incidents provides us guidance on the basis of human morality, exposes the doubl e standards of misguided hypocrites from other religions that criticize Islam an d much more. But more on that subject below. . . CRITICISM ADDRESSED AND ENTERTAINED Myself and many other Muslims should no longer be surprised by the double standa rds that are displayed when they criticize the conduct of Prophet Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], since we've heard it for so long. To have an atheist, agnostic or anyone else who does not believe in a Divinely re vealed basis for morality criticize something that is "politically incorrect" by t oday's moral standards comes as no surprise. Such people will always find someth ing to criticize, since they simply have a bone to pick with "religion" in gener al. All of this "absolute morality" talk gets in the way of them having a good t ime, so they want to mock it, discredit it and do away with it.The criticism of Christians, however, is another matter. While it is true that Christians speak o ut against the "moral relativity" which is spreading amongst the increasingly se cular society today, they too are unconscious victims of it. The values of most Christians today come from the humanist values of Western Europe (or, at a minim um, are heavily influenced by them). Their values DO NOT come straight out of th e Bible in theory or in practice regardless of what they may claim. That Christians today try to take credit for the so-called "Freedom", "Human Rights", "Democracy " and "Women's Rights" in Europe and America is nothing short of amusing. It may impress uneducated people in so-called Third World countries, but anyone who ha s studied history knows that these things came about in spite of the Church, not because of it. The way in which many Christians uncritically mix non-Christian values with (allegedly) Biblical values has always fascinated me. One interestin g example of this is how nationalism and patriotism are supported amongst the ma jority of Evangelical Protestant (and even other) Christians in the United State s. In America, good Christians are flag wavers. Few, if any, of these fiercely p atriotic minds ever seem to realize that narrow-minded patriotism is, at its cor e, both selfish and non-universal. That patriotism and Christianity go hand-in-h and in the minds of many people is just an example of how we can be blindly suck ed into "moral relativism" without even realizing it. According to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, right and wrong are ordained by Al mighty God. As such, morality does not change over time based on our whims, desi res or cultural sensitivities. In cultures where there is no Divinely revealed r uling on an issue, what is right and what is wrong is determined by cultural nor ms. In such cases, a person would only be considered "immoral" if they violated the accepted norms of their society. As we will demonstrate, the Prophet Muhamma

d's [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] marriage to 'Aishah, view ed both in the light of Absolute Morality and the cultural norms of his time, wa s not an immoral act, but was an act containing valuable lessons for generations to come. Additionally, this marriage followed the norms for all Semitic peoples , including those of Biblical times. Based on this, and other information that w e will provide below, it is grossly hypocritical for Christians to criticise the Prophet's [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] marriage to 'Aisha h at such a young age. In case Christian readers are under the false impression that their values today are timeless and somehow reflect those of Biblical times , please consider the following points which are directly related to the questio n of at what age a person is properly ready to be married: Keeping in mind the ideas of "political correctness" and "absolute morality", in Biblical times the age at which a girl could marry was puberty. However, during the Middle Ages it was usually twelve years old. Now in most "Christian" countri es it is between fourteen and sixteen years old. I live in country where some st ates allow partners of the same sex to legally marry, but consider an eighteen y ear old boy who sleeps with a sixteen year old girl a "statutory rapist". So eve n though Christians might disagree with much of what is becoming all too prevale nt in Western society today whether it be drug abuse, gay marriages or abortion they too have been swallowed up (possibly unknowingly) by the ugly monster of "moral relativism". Certainly, they might be giving in less quickly than people who do not believe in a Divine basis for morality, but they're giving in nonetheless. Historically, the age at which a girl was considered able to be married has been puberty. This was the case in Biblical times, as we will discuss below, and is s till used to determine the age of marriage in what the culturally arrogant West calls "primitive societies" throughout the world. As the ahadith about 'Aishah's age show, her betrothal took place at least three years before the consummation of the marriage. The reason for this was that they were waiting for her to come of age (i.e. to have her first menstrual period). Puberty is a biological sign which shows that a women is capable of bearing children. Can anyone logically de ny this? Part of the wisdom behind the Prophet's Muhammad's [May the Peace and B lessings of Allah be upon him] marriage to 'Aishah just after she reached pubert y is to firmly establish this as a point of Islamic Law, even though it was alre ady cultural norm in all Semitic societies (including the one Jesusgrew up in). The large majority of Islamic jurists say that the earliest time which a marriag e can be consummated is at the onset of sexual maturity (bulugh), meaning pubert y. Since this was the norm of all Semitic cultures and it still is the norm of m any cultures today it is certainly not something that Islam invented. However, wid espread opposition to such a Divinely revealed and accepted historical norm is c ertainly something that is relatively new! The criticism of Muhammad's [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] ma rriage to 'Aishah is something relatively new in that it grew up out of the valu es of "Post Enlightenment" Europe. This was a Europe that had abandoned (or at l east modified) its religious morality for a new set of humanist values where peo ple used their own opinions to determine what was right and wrong. It is interes ting to note that Christians from a very early time criticized (again hypocritic ally) the Prophet's practice [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] of polygamy, but not the marriage to 'Aishah. Certainly, those from a Middle Eas tern Semitic background would not have found anything to criticize, since nothin g abnormal or immoral took place. It was European Christians who began to critic ize Muhammad on this point, not ones who were in touch with their Semitic roots. It is upon reaching the age of puberty that a person, man or woman, becomes legal ly responsible under Islamic Law. At this point, they are allowed to make their own decisions and are held accountable for their actions. It should also be ment ioned that in Islam, it is unlawful to force someone to marry someone that they do not want to marry. The evidence shows that 'Aishah's marriage to the Prophet

Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] was one which both p arties and their families agreed upon. Based on the culture at that time, no one saw anything wrong with it. On the contrary, they were all happy about it. None of the Muslim sources report that anyone from the society at that time criti cized this marriage due to 'Aishah's young age. On the contrary, the marriage of 'Aishah to the Prophet<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> was enco uraged by 'Aishah's father, Abu Bakr, and was welcomed by the community at large . It is reported that women who wanted to help the Prophet<May the Peace and Ble ssings of God be upon him>, such as Khawlah bint al-Hakeem, encouraged him to ma rry the young 'Aishah. Due to the Semitic culture in which they lived, they cert ainly saw nothing wrong with such a marriage. Society's ideas of love, family and marriage are much different in the so-called "modern" and "civilized" West of today than they were in Biblical or Qur'anic ti mes. Unfortunately, many of us carry the baggage of "romantic love" and ideas ab out sex that have managed to poison our minds since the Europeans (and their ide as) came to dominate the globe. These ideas have not only penetrated into the mi nds of Muslims, but actually permeate many of them. The European colonial powers have pulled out of almost all Muslim lands, but the colonization of the minds c ontinues! As we mentioned above, the sad part is that most people do not even re alize that they are under such un-Godly influences. Just to reference the way th ings have changed, a statement in The New Encyclopaedia Britannica makes it clea r that values regarding the proper age of marriage have been changing over the y ears: ". . . in the United States and parts of Europe the association of adult s tatus with sexual maturity as expressed in the term puberty rites has been unwel come".2 The significance that sex and sexuality are thought to play in human psychology h as its roots in Freudian thought. Even though many of Freud's ideas are being he avily challenged today, many of his ideas still play a role in the thinking of m any people. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) taught that humans are basically "sexual b eings" whose childhood sexual urges are the key to understanding their behaviour . He developed the methodology of psychoanalysis and his ideas on sex, repressed guilt and sexuality, the subconscious sex drive, the Oedipus complex and other ideas have come to almost haunt the Western view of sexuality (almost as much as the repressive views of the Roman Catholic Church). Needless to say, Freud's id eas have been criticized by believing Jews, Christians and Muslims since they ba sically deny human moral responsibility. In Freud's view of things, human beings are prisoners to the effects of unconscious forces and their sex drive. Such id eas are always welcomed by "liberals", "humanists" and others like them. The poi nt of all this in regards to young marriage, however, might be less clear. What needs to be pointed out is the contradictory "modern" Western view of sexuality. They are taken aback by the thought of marriage at the age of puberty, even tho ugh it's an age old custom. However, they have junior high schools where sex edu cation is taught and a society where sexually permiscuous "dating" is considered the norm. Sometime sex is simply a natural pleasure to be enjoyed, but at other times it is a psychological demon of far reaching consequences.In short, everyt hing from their private lives to their court systems, have fallen victim to the moral relativity of the psychiatrists and psychologists. The attitude that any e xperience in life can be seen as some sort of "trauma" is very widespread. Many people go through life constantly obsessed about what sort of "complex" they may be suffering from due to experiences they've had in their relatively normal lif e. The morality which is produced by such attitudes all but does away with human responsibility. People who are guilty of serious crimes, instead of being held responsible for their actions, are themselves considered "victims", since they a re only doing what their psychological makeup causes them to do. PUBERTY = MATURITY = MARRIAGE

The above points having been presented, some additional details on a few of them is worthwhile. An interesting article on the age at which people married in Bib lical times is Ancient Israelite Marriage Customs, by Jim West, ThD a Baptist mini ster. This article states that: "The wife was to be taken from within the larger family circle (usually at the outset of puberty or around the age of 13) in ord er to maintain the purity of the family line;" This is just one reference to the fact that the onset of puberty was considered the age at which young people cou ld marry. That people in Biblical times married at an early age is widely endors ed. While discussing the meaning of the word 'almah, which is the Hebrew word fo r "young woman" or "adolescent female", Gerald Segal says: "It should be noted, however, that in biblical times females married at an early age".3 In spite of its somewhat arrogant Western talk of "primitive cultures", An Overv iew of the World's Religions makes it clear that puberty is an age old symbol of adulthood: "Almost all primitive cultures pay attention to puberty and marriage rituals, although there is a general tendency to pay more attention to the pube rty rites of males than of females. Because puberty and marriage symbolize the f act that children are acquiring adult roles, most primitive cultures consider th e rituals surrounding these events very important. Puberty rituals are often acc ompanied with ceremonial circumcision or some other operation on the male genita ls. Female circumcision is less common, although it occurs in several cultures. Female puberty rites are more often related to the commencement of the menstrual cycle in young girls." Some female authors agree: "Puberty is defined as the ag e or period at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction, in other eras of history, a rite or celebration of this landmark event was a part of the culture." (Rites of Passage: Puberty, by Sue Curewitz Arthen) "Getting your period" marks a rite of passage for young girls entering womanhood (From the Women's Resource Center) Another contemporary reference relating marr iage age to puberty is an article on Central Africa, which says: ". . . women ma rry soon after puberty"4. The previous quotations, and plenty of others which we re not used, should prove to any intelligent person what anthropologists and his torians already know: in centuries past, people were considered ready for marria ge when they reached puberty. It should be mentioned that from an Islamic point of view, many problems in soci ety today can be traced back to the abandonment of early marriage. Due to the wa y that Almighty God has created man and woman, i.e. with strong sexual desires, people should marry young. In the past, this was even more true since life expec tancy was very low (i.e. you were considered "old" if you made it to 40!). Not o nly does marriage provide a legal outlet for people with strong sexual desires, but it usually produces more children. One of the main purposes of marriage is t o produce children "be fruitful and multiply" as the Bible says (Genesis 8:17). Th is was especially important in the past, when people did not live for as long as they do now and the infant morality rate was much higher. THE AGE OF PUBERTY Even though we have established that puberty has been the historical, cultural a nd religious norm for indicating readiness for marriage, some may wonder at whic h age puberty normally takes place. This is somewhat meaningless in regards to o ur specific discussion of Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] and 'Aishah, since the hadith literature makes it clear that she had reach ed puberty. However, in regards to puberty and at what age most girls have their

first menstrual cycle, 'Abdul-Hamid Siddiqi says: Islam has laid down no age li mit for puberty for it varies with countries and races due to the climate, hered itary, physical and social conditions. Those who live in cold regions attain pub erty at a much later age as compared with those living in hot regions where both male and female attain it at a quite early age. "The average temperature of the country or province," say the well-known authors of the book Woman, "is conside red the chief factor here, not only with regard to menstruation but as regards t he whole of sexual development at puberty."5 Raciborski, Jaubert, Routh and many others have collected and collated statistics on the subject to which readers a re referred. Marie Espino has summarised some of these data as follows: (a) The limit of age for the first appearance of menstruation is between nine and twenty -four in the temperate-zone; (b) The average age varies widely and it ay be acce pted as established that the nearer the Equator, the earlier the average age for menstruation.6 Additionally, an article entitled Puberty in Girls by an Austral ian government Public Health organization, says: "The first sign of puberty is u sually a surge of growth: you become taller; your breasts develop; hair begins t o grow in the pubic area and under the arms. This may start from 10 years to 14 years - even earlier for some and later for others." An article Physical Changes in Girls During Puberty has this to say: "During puberty, a girl's body changes , inside and out, into the body of a woman. The changes don't come all at once, and they don't happen at the same time for everybody. Most girls start showing p hysical changes around age 11, but everyone has her own internal schedule for de velopment. It's normal for changes to start as early as 8 or 9 years of age, or not until 13 or 14. Even if nothing looks or feels different yet, the changes ma y have already begun inside your body." Many will readily agree with the informa tion above, but still may harbour reservations about whether a marriage to an ol der man could be happy for such a young girl. Putting aside the modern Western n otions of "happiness" for a moment, the marriage of 'Aishah and the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] was a mutually happy and loving o ne as in expressed in numerous hadeeth and seerah books. That happy marriages oc cur between people with a fairly large difference in ages is known among psychol ogists: "When the differences (in ages) is great, e.g. exceeds fifteen to twenty years, the results may be happier. The marriage of an elderly (senescent) not, of course, an old (senile) man to a quite young girl, is often very successful a nd harmonious. The bride is immediately introduced and accustomed to moderate se xual intercourse" 7 MORE WISDOM BEHIND IT In his comments on the ahadith in Sahih Muslim which mention 'Aishah's young mar riage to the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], 'AbdulHamid Siddiqi shows points three other reasons for this marriage: 'Aishah's marriage to the Prophet Muhammad<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> at an early age allowed her to be an eye witness to the personal deta ils of his life and carry them on the succeeding generations. By being both spir itually and physically near to the Prophet<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> , the marriage prepared 'Aishah to be an example to all Muslims, espe cially women, for all times. She developed into a spiritual, teacher and scholar , since she was remarkably intelligent and wise. Her qualities helped support th e Prophet's work and further the cause of Islam. 'Aishah, the Mother of the Beli evers, was not only a model for wives and mothers, but she was also a commentato r on the Qur'an, an authority on hadeeth and knowledgeable in Islamic Law. She n arrated at least 2,210 ahadith that give Muslims valuable insights into the Fina l Prophet's daily life and behaviour, thus preserving the Sunnah of Muhammad<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him>. At that time, this marriage refuted the notion that a man could not marry the da

ughter of a man who he had declared to be his "brother" (even in the religious s ense). Since the Prophet<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> and Abu Bakr had declared each other to be "brothers", this notion was done away with. This is demonstrated in the following hadeeth: Narrated 'Ursa: The Prophet<May t he Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> asked Abu Bakr for 'Aishah's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said, "But I am your brother." The Prophet<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> said, "You are my brother in God's religion and Hi s Book, but she ('Aishah) is lawful for me to marry." (Saheeh al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 18) The marriage did away with the pagan Arab superstition that it was a bad omen to be married in the month of Shawwal. They thought that the month carried this om en since the word Shawwal was derived from Shaala, which itself was believed to carry a bad omen. The authentic ahadith indicate that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] and 'Aishah were married in this lunar mont h. NOT MUCH ADO BACK THEN Above, we established that fact that getting married at puberty was an accepted practice amongst not only today's "primitive cultures", but specifically amongst the Semitic (i.e. Hebrew, Arab, Syriac, etc.) peoples of the Middle East. In or der to provide additional proof that Muhammad's<May the Peace and Blessings of G od be upon him> marriage to 'Aishah did not raise any eyebrows at that time, I h ere submit quotations from two Western female scholars who have studied Islam in detail: "It is not clear just when the marriage actually took place. According to some versions, it was in the month of Shawwal of the Year 1, that is, some se ven or eight months after the arrival at Medina; but, according to others, it wa s not until after the Battle of Badr, that is, in Shawwal of the second year of the Hijrah. In no version is there any comment made on the disparity of the ages between Mohammed and Aishah or on the tender age of the bride who, at the most, could not have been over ten years old and who was still much enamoured with he r play."8 In the above quotation, the sources which are given for the latter dat e are "Nawawi" and "Tabari". Both Imams al-Nawawi and al-Tabari were great Musli m scholars, but their works contain material that is less than authentic by Isla mic standards, which is probably the reason over her questioning which date is a uthentic. This is all beside the point, since we've already shown that authentic Islamic sources state that 'Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, was "nine ye ars old". The main point to note is that in "no version" was any comment made on their age difference or on 'Aishah's young age. Why? Such an early marriage was normal in all Semitic societies - such as the ones that Abraham, Moses, Jesus a nd Muhammad grew up in! Another author, Karen Armstrong, has this to add:"Tabari says that she was so yo ung that she stayed in her parents' home and the marriage was consummated there later when she had reached puberty".9 This further establishes that the marriage took place at puberty and that, as such, no eyebrows were raised. "Tabari", it should be mentioned, refers to Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Jareer al-Tabari (225-310 AH / 839-923 CE), who was a great Muslim scholar who is well known in the West f or his Qur'anic commentary and history of the world. It is no surprise that both of the above authors agree on the fact that the marr iage of 'Aishah and Muhammad<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> too k place when the former had reached puberty and that this was normal at the time . This is no surprise, since anyone who studies the Muslim sources and Semitic c ulture would be forced to come to the same conclusion, since it is simply a hist orical fact. It should be pointed out that both of the above quoted female autho rs do not hesitate to misrepresent Islam (intentionally or unintentionally) in t

heir other writings. Suffice it to say that if there was some other "damaging" i nformation available, they would not hesistate to bring it to light. Nabia Abbot t, who has done some useful research on Islam in some areas, was basically an "O rientalist" in the classic sense. Her book which was quoted above, Aishah-The Be loved of Mohammed, is actually nothing but a disgusting second-guessing of 'Aish ah's life. If a book with a similar mix of speculation and inauthentic sources w ere written about someone of significance in the West, it certainly would not be sitting on scholarly bookshelves. It's has long been established that Orientali sts with a bone to pick with Islam liked to decide on the authenticity of a stor y based on their pre-conceived notions. If an inauthentic story seemed to belitt le the Prophet of Islam, it became oft quoted. However, any authentic material t hat contradicted their theories was simply ignored. It's analogous to writing a historical biography of Jesus and using quotations from apocryphal gospels to ov erride the Canonical ones whenever whimsically deemed appropriate. This is how O rientalists and Christian missionaries have been treating Muhammad [May the Peac e and Blessings of Allah be upon him] for centuries. For those who want to know more about this, please read our article Orientalism, Misinformation and Islam. SO WHAT'S THE VERDICT? Overcoming cultural bias or admitting your own double standards is not always ea sy. For some people, it takes years for them to admit that they've been hypocrit ical. Hopefully, the thoughts presented here will plant the seed of reflection i n some people so that they may reflect on the truth. Admitting that there's a pr oblem is often half the battle, so before the reader heads off to make a final p ersonal judgement on where they stand on this issue, I want to provide some more food for thought. Montgomery Watt, a long time scholar of Islam, had some choic e words on how the West should judge Muhammad<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him>. I have never agreed with many of Watt's conclusions about Islam, but I have always viewed him as one of the more open-minded and open-hearted Ori entalist scholars. Possibly, this is because he was more of a promoter of unders tanding than a narrow-minded Christian missionary. Years of studying Islam broug ht Watt to this conclusion: "The other main allegations of moral defect in Muham mad are that he was treacherous and lustful . . . Sufficient has been said above about the interpretation of these events to show that the case against Muhammad is much weaker than is sometimes thought. The discussions of these allegations, however, raises a fundamental question. How are we to judge Muhammad ? By the s tandards of his own time and country ? Or by those of the most enlightened opini on in the West today? When the sources are closely scrutinized, it is clear that those of Muhammad's actions which are disapproved by the modern West were not t he object of the moral criticism of his contemporaries. They criticized some of his acts, but their motives were superstitious prejudice or fear of the conseque nces. If they criticized the events at Nakhlah, it was because they feared some punishment from the offended pagan gods or the worldly vengeance of the Meccans. If they were amazed at the mass execution of the Jews of the clan of Qurayzah, it was at the number and danger of the blood-feuds incurred. The marriage with Z aynab seemed incestuous, but this conception of incest was bound up with old pra ctices belonging to a lower, communalistic level of familial institutions where a child's paternity was not definitely known; and this lower level was in proces s being eliminated by Islam . . . From the standpoint of Muhammad's time, then, the allegations of treachery and sensuality cannot be maintained. His contempora ries did not find him morally defective in any way. On the contrary, some of the acts criticized by the modern Westerner show that Muhammad's standards were hig her than those of his time. In his day and generation he was a social reformer, even a reformer in the sphere of morals. He created a new system of social secur ity and a new family structure, both of which were a vast improvement on what we nt before. By taking what was best in the morality of the nomad and adapting it for settled communities, he established a religious and social framework for the life of many races of men. That is not the work of a traitor or 'an old lecher'

."10 FROM ABRAHAM TO "PICK-AND-CHOOSE / FEEL GOOD RELIGION" Everything that we have discussed above logically frees Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] from the unjust criticism that he has receiv ed (at least amongst those who can be intellectually honest and fair-minided). O ne point, however, still needs to be made a bit more clear. Even though we've me ntioned it in passing, the hypocrisy and double standards of Christians who crit icize Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] or his moralit y needs to be more thoroughly analysed and exposed. Before moving on to an analysis of Biblical morality, I would like to offer some advice and encouraging words to my fellow Muslims.My main piece of advice is to not be discouraged by slanderous attacks on Islam or how it is distorted in the media. Certainly, we all hate to see such things occur, but in the "Information Age" which was brought about by a culture that (allegedly) places a supreme val ue on freedom of speech, there is not much that we can do to stop it. The flip s ide to this coin is the fact that the Truth of Islam is still out there and peop le are finding it. Yes, Islam is spreading in spite of these hypocritical method s that Christians and others are using to stop it. From the "moon god" lies of R obert Morey to the almost daily distortions in the media, Islam is still spreadi ng in the West. Actually, the fact that those who make a career out of attacking Islam, such as Christian missionaries, have to resort to lies and distortions w hen they discuss Islam is a good sign. Certainly, if they discussed Islam as it was meant to be understood, they would only be hurting their own cause. When Isl am is presented by non-Muslims in the West, usually matters of peripheral import ance are addressed and criticised. The core beliefs of Islam, if discussed at al l, are presented in a distorted manner. If Islam was just some ridiculous "Third World" religion with no appeal, they would not have to treat it this way.As a m atter of fact, a great deal of the anti-Islamic literature that fills Christian bookstores (and the Internet) is not designed to convert Muslims, but to turn We sterners off to Islam. The people who write these lies are just trying to poison the minds of people so that they won't be receptive to the message of Islam whe n they hear it. Their methods, however, are failing. In Europe especially, the Christian religio n is in a severe state of stagnation and people are looking for truth elsewhere. Christians have always been embarrassed by their almost complete inability to c onvert a notable Muslim to Christianity. Certainly, they have their converts tha t they hold up as examples, however all of them seem to have been only nominal M uslims (at best) when they converted. However, many notable Westerners have embr aced Islam, recently as well as in the past. One of the most interesting things about this is many (if not all) of these people could be called "Searchers for t he Truth". By this I mean that they were the type of people who were spiritual, open-mined and read books on many subjects. They were not brainwashed simpletons who simply wanted to join an easy religion and the dominating culture of the ti me. They were people who knew a lot not only about religion, but about history, philosophy and other disciplines. Suffice it to say that the truth of Islam is o ut there, in spite of all the negative press that it gets today.The following is just one testimony that Islam is spreading in the West: "Unprecedented numbers of British people, nearly all of them women, are converting to Islam at a time o f deep divisions within the Anglican and Catholic churches. The rate of conversi ons has prompted predictions that Islam will rapidly become an important religio us force in this country . . . Within the next 20 years the number of British co nverts will equal or overtake the immigrant Muslim community that brought the fa ith here", says Rose Kendrick, a religious education teacher at a Hull comprehen sive and the author of a textbook guide to the Koran. She says: "Islam is as muc

h a world faith as is Roman Catholicism. No one nationality claims it as its own ". Islam is also spreading fast on the continent and in America. (The Times , Lo ndon, Tuesday, November 9th, 1993, Home-News page) Thanks be to God that many of us who are former "pew warmers" finally decided to go out and investigate what they try to spoon feed us from the pulpit and TV. Why does Islam succeed in attr acting Christians and others? Because it's the Clear Way of Abraham. No other re ligion today can honestly claim this! Islam isn't just a "feel good" religion wh ere they just tell you what you want to hear and read selected verses from the B ible.Most Christians today approach religion like they do Sunday brunch: they ta ke what they like and leave what they don't like. They have this attitude in spi te of the fact that Abraham is held up in their Bible as a towering example of f aith. Abraham<Peace be upon him> , who was going to sacrifice his own son becaus e Almighty God commanded it, certainly knew the basis of morality. It is clear i n both the Bible and the Qur'an that Abraham knew that whatever God commands is the right thing to do. However, how many Christians today can say that they hone stly believe that on all issues? How many of them have reflected on the moral ra mifications of what is contained in their Bible? Seemingly, not even their learn ed apologists who attack Islam have reflected on it too deeply! The question "What is our basis for morality?" is an easy one for those who foll ow the faith of Abraham<Peace be upon him> and that's what Islam is. Islam is subm ission to the Will of Almighty God - "We hear and we obey"- the faith of our fat her Abraham. If it was good enough for Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, then it's good enough for me! It is this truth and this attitude that attracts people to Islam. The entire basis of Islam, which produces this attitude, is Unity the U nity of Almighty God and the unity of mankind. To be sure, the message of Islam appeals to the very nature of man. No wonder it is spreading! A Christian theolo gion, relatively recently, observed: "It is probable that early in the twenty-first century Islam will have become nu merically the largest of the world religions" 11 Quite possibly, if you count only Sunni Muslims (which are at least 85% of Musli ms), we are already the largest religion in the world when compared not to "Chri stians" as a whole, but to either the Orthodox, Roman Catholics or Protestants e ach separately. A CASE STUDY IN BIBLICAL MORALITY Now that we've taken an detailed look at an alleged moral difficulty in the life of Muhammad<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him>, for the sake of ba lance, let's take a look at a moral difficulty in the Bible. We've already made statements above concerning the nature of Biblical morality, but many readers ma y be unaware of some of its "difficulties". For better or for worse, in Sunday s chool they generally skip the verses which we are going to deal with below. Howe ver, these verses certainly are useful tools in putting intellectually honest Ch ristians in the same "moral dilemma" that they think Muslims should be in due to Muhammad's<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> young marriage to 'A ishah, may Allah be pleased with her.It should be kept in mind that the purpose of this discussion is the basis for morality, not the inspiration of the Bible ( or lack thereof).For the purposes of this discussion, we accept the Bible "as is ". However, this should not be interpretted to mean that we are endorsing it as the "Word of God" in toto. On the other hand, it should not be interpreted to me an that we are attacking the "Word of God", since we are discussing it simply be cause Christians consider it to be the "Word of God" (whatever their particular definition might be). The portion of the Bible that we want to look at begins with the Book of Numbers

, Chapter 31, verses 17 and 18. Here, Moses, following the Lord's command, order s the Israelites to kill all the Midianite male children. The order continues wi th the following: ". . . kill every woman who has known man by lying with him, but all the female children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves ." One can only guess how the Israelites determined who the virgins were. Most prob ably, they did it based on age and maturity, assuming that all of the female "ch ildren" who had not reached puberty were virgins. Keep in mind that this was don e, according to the Bible, on God's command to "Avenge the Israelites on the Mid ianites".Later, God gives Moses instructions on how to divide up the booty, "whe ther persons, oxen, donkeys, sheeps or goats". Based on this command, "thirty-tw o thousand persons in all, women who had not known a man by lying with him" were divided up. This was done so that the Israelite soldiers could have these young girls "for themselves". I do not suspect that anyone reading this is either so naive or ignorant of King James English to not know what this means! Moving along to another great example of Biblical morality, . . . in Deuteronomy 21:10-14 the Biblical "God of Love" gives the following command: "When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath d elivered them into thine hands and thoust has taken them captive, and seest amon g the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire unto her, that though would have her to be thy wife, then though shalt bring her home to thine house . . . a nd after that you may go into her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife .But if though have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go". This should serve as sufficient proof that the morality that is taught in the Bible often is not what Christians make it out to be. In spite of what they teach in Sunday sc hool, the above mentioned verses demonstrate the following: Almighty God, at least according to the Bible: * Ordered innocent babies to be killed; and * He allowed young women to be forced into sex against their will. Before moving on, it should be noted that killing women and children in war is n ever permitted under Islamic Law (the actions of some ignorant Muslims around th e world notwithstanding). Some Christians may take issue with the words "innocen t babies" above, since they believe that even babies are tainted with "Original Sin". However, this is not the topic of the discussion at hand. Suffice it to sa y that Biblical support for the Doctrine of Original Sin is contradictory at bes t. There are some verses that seem to support it, but there are others that seem to clearly deny it. One strike against "Original Sin", besides the fact that it 's simply unjust, is the fact that the Jews who read the Old Testament never belived in it the way Chrisitnas do. But anyway . . . when faced with the problematic p arts of the Old Testatment, Christians react in various ways. Many offer up the ill thoughtout "Well-That's-in-the-Old-Testament" defense. In spite of the fact that they usually don't brush the Old Testament aside so quickly when they are b eing shown alleged prophecies which match Jesus, a few other thoughts can be pre sented. Some of the things that make brushing aside the Old Tesament a bit more difficult (at least for Christians who want to remain intellectually honest) are : 1) the same God that "inspired" the Old Testament "inspired" the New Testament ; 2) this same God is "unchanging" according to the Bible; 3) Jesus in the New T estament endorses the "Law and the prophets" (i.e. the Old Testament) in several places; and 4) without the Old Testament their is no basis for Christianity. When put in this predicament, Christians, have one of two choices: 1) stop think

ing about it and fall back on a liberal "pick-and-choose" religion that just mak es them "feel good" but does not answer any of life's more difficult questions; or 2) accept the (allegedly) Divinely Revealed morality of the Bible "as is". There are Christians out there who claim to accept the Divinely Revealed moralit y of the Bible. They understand what's at stake and the issues at hand. If peopl e are allowed to whimsically decide what is right and what is wrong, there would be chaos. Just as importantly, if people decide what is "God's Word" and what i s not His word based on their preconceived notions and "modern" sensibilities, n othing would be left of the Bible. As such, there are Christians who, in princip le, say that killing babies is "moral" as long as God clearly commands it. For s omeone who understands the nature of Divinely Revealed morality, we would have t o agree in principle but with certain reservations. As mentioned above, Almighty God according to Islam never commands the killing of innocent children.That is one "difficulty" that I am glad that Muslims don't have to explain their way out of! Killing babies is okay as long as God commands it!?! So much for having Christi ans as baby-sitters! The bottom line is that morality comes from Almighty God and from Him alone.Howe ver, if ones studies the Bible, it is plain to see that it is not a foundation f or morality. The examples above are just a few that can be provided from both th e Old and the New Testament. The people who promote "Biblical morality" pick and choose from the text as they please. Only in Islam can one with good conscience accept "the whole package" without ignorantly or hypocritically denying things that they don't like. This is how true internal peace and balance are achieved. If one belongs to a religions without accepting everything in its scripture (rea l or alleged) one is not only bearing false witness againt themself but against God Himself. With all the false ideas in the modern age, it's easy to be lead as tray. The liberal Westeran morality that has now touched all corners of the glob e is, culturally speaking, something like an eight-hundred pound gorilla. It's v ery hard to stand in its way or speak out against it. However, being encouraged by others to follow "vain desires" has been an eternal problem for mankind, as A lmighty God makes clear in the Qur'an: "Say: 'I will not follow your vain desires: if I did I would stray from the path and be not of the company of those who receive guidance.'" Qur'an - Surah al-An'aam - 6:56 GUIDEPOSTS TO BE THANKFUL FOR The Prophet Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] was a gr eat example for all of humanity and peoples of different cultures (from "modern" Europeans to the aborigines of Australia). Not only was he a great Prophet and Messenger, but he was also a statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbo r and friend. Family life was one of the most important areas where he was a gre at example, since he was both a husband and a father. Due to God's wisdom, His l ast and final prophet experienced a wide array of marriages and family situation s. Due to this, he is an example for people who are monogamous, for those who ar e polygamous, for those wishing to marry those older than themselves and for tho se wondering how early someone can rightfully marry. Muhammad<May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon him> reestablished the Religion of Abraham so that it w ould continue to the Last Day. As Muslims, we should be thankful for these guideposts in our moral journey thro ugh life. Reflecting on them aids us in avoiding being led astray into "moral re lativism". This is a very dangerous thing, since it can lead to the worst of all sins associating others with Almighty God in worship, belief and/or Lordship. By

knowing the Prophet's [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] life we can see how to stay within the boundaries laid by Almighty God and stay on the Natural Religion of Islam which was made to suit the natural disposition (fitrah ) of mankind. I pray that we, as Muslims, make Almighty God's limits our limits, and that we are not influenced by other societies and cultures. If it was good enough for Abraham and Moses, then it's good enough for me . . . That's the way I see it, but God knows best . . . < Surely in the Messenger of God you have a good example (Qur'an 33:21)> FOOTNOTES 1 W. Montgomery Watt, Muhammad at Medina, Oxford University Press, 1956. 2 "Rites and Ceremonies", The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th Edition (1987), Volume 26, page 850. 3 Gerald Sigal, The Jew and the Christian Missionary, Ktav Publishing House,1981 , page 28. 4 "Central Africa", The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th Edition (1987), Volum e 15, page 646. See also "Aboriginal Australia", The New Encyclopaedia Britannic a, 15th Edition (1987), Volume 14, page 425. For additional references to the ma rriage customs in Biblical times, see Israel: Its Life and Culture, by Johannes Pedersen, Volume 1, page 60ff. 5 Herman H. Ploss, Max Bartels and Paul Bartels, Woman, Volume I, Lord & Bransby , 1988, page 563. 6 English-translation of Sahih Muslim, Volume 2, International Islamic Publishin g House, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, page 715. 7 Theodor H. Vandevelde, Ideal Marriage : Its Physiology and Technique, Greenwoo d Publishing Group, 1980, p. 243. 8 Nabia Abbott, Aishah-The Beloved of Mohammed, Al-Saqi Books, London, 1985, pag e 7. 9 Karen Armstrong, Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet, Harper San Francisco, 1 992, page 157. 10 W. Montgomery Watt, Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman, Oxford University Press, 1961, page 229. 11 John Hick, The Metaphor of God Incarnate, Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993, page 87. ******************************************************************************** Islam: The Solution to Racism and Prejudice http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=179:islam-thesolution-to-racism-and-prejudice&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid=191 Racism and Prejudice continues to be a hot topic today, despite efforts to denou nce racism throughout the world, it still exists to varying degrees, most of whi ch is very subtle these days. During March of 2005, a workshop was created to di

scuss racism and prejudice in N. Ireland, an area which has seen great turmoil i n the way of paramilitary war and terror, but recently has become steeped in rac ism as immigration has accelerated with the end of the troubles in N. Ireland. "It's perhaps the only city in the western hemisphere were the estate agents act ually carry advertisements clearly stating "no blacks, chinese, pakistani etc. e tc." As it was noted on the internet, "It's perhaps the only city in the western hemi sphere were the estate agents actually carry advertisements clearly stating "no blacks, chinese, pakistani etc etc". Belfast has been labelled by the European U nion as the most racist city in Europe and by the United Nations as the most rac ist city in the world. This programme was sponsored by a government funded funct ion to discuss racism and prejudice, and in this case - hear what Islam says abo ut the topic. Allah, the Majestic mentions in the Noble Qur'an: And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the differ ence of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. (ar-Rum, 30:22) O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into natio ns and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. pious) . Verily, Allah is Al l-Knowing, All-Aware. (Al-Hujurat 49:13) also, He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (Aali Imran 3 :6) Allah, it is He Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place and the sky a s a canopy, and has given you shape and made your shapes good (looking) and has provided you with good things. That is Allh, your Lord, then blessed be Allh, the Lord of the 'Alamn (mankind, jinns and all that exists). (Ghafir 40:64) He has created the heavens and the earth with truth, and He shaped you and made good your shapes, and to Him is the final Return. (At-Taghabun 64:3) Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/racism.mp3 ******************************************************************************** ************* Unique Features of Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=196:unique-fea tures-of-islam&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid=191 A straightforward word concerning the special characteristics possessed by Islam , which are not present in other religions. Such as, Islam s unique message and mo de of worship, the universality of its creed and more. "In other religions, even the ones which claim belief in "One God", people often approach God through an intermediary, such as a saint, an angel, the Virgin Mar y or Jesus. However, it is only in Islam that a person is required only to pray to God."

Uniqueness of the Name The name for the religion of Islam is much more than just a name because it expr esses a deep spiritual meaning as well as an overall outlook on life and concept of worship. The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "complete submission to the will of Almighty God". Other religions are named after their founders, s uch as Christianity and Buddhism; after a tribe or ethnic group, such as Judaism ; or after a specific geographical region, such as Hinduism. Islam, however, is unique because its name represents its outlook on life and reflects its universa l nature. Additionally, the name "Islam" was not thought up by its followers or applied by other people, as is the case with the names of other religions, but w as revealed by Almighty God. This name expressed nothing new, because submission to the will of God, i.e. "Islam", has always been the true religion of God. Due to this fact, and since the teachings of Islam are straightforward, profound an d logical, Islam is the "Natural Religion" of all human beings. The name of no o ther religion carries any significant message, or conveys the true sense of its outlook on life, as does the name "Islam". Universality & Continuity of the Message The command to worship none other than Almighty God and to submit to His will ha s been revealed by God to all of His prophets throughout mankind's long history. The pure essence of the beliefs and teachings that were revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad are the same as God taught to Abraham, who was one of the earli est and greatest prophets. So actually, Muhammad is the final prophet of Islam - not the first. Additionally, Islam is the true "religion of Abraham", because Abraham completely submitted himself to the revealed will of Almighty God. Islam is truly unique among the religions of the world because it is addressed to all of mankind. The scripture of Islam, called the Qur'an, repeatedly addresses all human beings by saying: "O mankind!" Additionally, in the Qur'an, Almighty God is never addressed as the God of a particular people or nation. From the very be ginning of the mission of Prophet Muhammad, his followers came from a wide spect rum of individuals -- there was Bilal, the African slave; Suhaib, the Byzantine Roman; Ibn Sailam, the Jewish Rabbi; and Salman, the Persian. Since religious tr uth is eternal and unchanging, and mankind is one universal brotherhood, God's r evelations to man have always been consistent and universal. Submission to the w ill of God, and worshipping Him alone without intermediaries, has always been th e only religion acceptable to Almighty God. A Straightforward Concept of God Unique among the religions of the world, the concept of God in Islam is complete ly based upon Divine Revelation. Not only is the concept of God in Islam charact erized by purity and clarity, but it is also not marred by myths, superstitions or man-made philosophical ideas. In the pure and straightforward teachings of Is lam, Almighty God has clearly revealed His unique nature and qualities to man in the way which He wants them to be understood. While other religions have either mixed man-made doctrines with divine revelation, or ignored the divine revelati on almost completely, Islam's concept of God is based totally on what God has sa id about Himself. Islam's concept of God can be called pure and straightforward because there is a clear distinction made between the Creator and the created. A s such, there is no ambiguity in divinity -- it is made clear that there is noth ing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God. In Islam, call ing someone other than Almighty God "Lord" or "Savior" is completely prohibited because such terms compromise God's uniqueness and because all of our trust shou ld be put in Almighty God -- who is the Most Merciful and the Controller of all affairs. The only Creator -- Almighty God -- is Unique, Eternal and Transcendent

above His Creation. Everything else besides Almighty God -- meaning anything th at you can see or even imagine -- is part of God's creation, and thus not worthy of worship. Almighty God, as He has described Himself in the Qur'an, is Absolut ely One and "the Most Merciful of those who show mercy". Even though God is tran scendent above His creation, due to His infinite Mercy He is constantly involved with the affairs of His creatures. Even though God is infinite, unique and inco mprehensible, in the Holy Qur'an He has revealed Himself in a way suitable to th e finite and limited human mind. By reaching out to man and sending revelations through all of His prophets, God has allowed Himself to be known through His uni que and most-beautiful attributes. Because the concept of God in Islam was sent by God specifically for mankind, it appeals to the innate nature of the human be ing. Due to this fact, Islam does not ask man to accept irrational, ludicrous or man-made doctrines about God. The Islamic concept of God strikes a unique balan ce between various religions an because is avoids reducing God to just being som e remote and impersonal "First Cause" or "Higher Power", while on the other hand it also teaches that a direct and personal relationship with God can be maintai ned without believing God to be like His creation or incarnate in it. Direct Relationship with God In other religions, even the ones which claim belief in "One God", people often approach God through an intermediary, such as a saint, an angel, the Virgin Mary or Jesus. However, it is only in Islam that a person is required only to pray t o God. Some people also nullify a truly proper and direct relationship with Almi ghty God by mistakenly believing that they have a special relationship with Him simply because they are members of a certain ethnic group, tribe or "chosen peop le". Additionally, in Islam there are no priests or clergy -- each worshipper, m an or woman, has a direct relationship with their Merciful Creator -- Almighty G od. Since God is the Owner and Sustainer of everything, as well as the only one who can provide true and complete forgiveness, it is completely futile to try to approach Him through anyone else. According to the teachings of Islam, praying to or worshipping anything or anyone besides Almighty God is the greatest sin a person can commit. Even though other religions believe in God, they nullify this belief by making the grave mistake of not always approaching Him directly. Some religions even go so far as to say that human beings, due to their sinfulness, cannot approach God without an intermediary -- which mistakenly implies that God is unable or unwilling to forgive human-beings directly. Islam teaches that Alm ighty God has the power to do all things and that no one should ever despair of His mercy. According to the teachings of Islam, God is always ready to bestow Hi s abundant Grace and Mercy on anyone who turns to Him in repentance. Even people who used to commit the worst sin of worshipping others besides God will be forg iven if they realize what they are doing is wrong and repent. Having a direct re lationship with God, and understanding that He alone deserves worship and praise , goes hand-in-hand with the Islamic concept of God. This is because once a prop er concept of God is established in the heart and mind, submission to God and co mplete reliance on Him alone comes naturally.

Unique Concept of Worship According to the teachings of Islam, everything that a human being does with the pure intention of pleasing God is an act of worship. Due to this, Islam has an all encompassing concept of worship unlike any other religion. Almighty God has revealed in the Noble Qur'an that His purpose for creating human beings was to w orship Him and Him alone. Like other religions, Islam has required acts of worsh ip, however worship in Islam is not limited to rituals. Since Islam is an all-en compassing religion with guidance for all aspects of life, almost every action i n a Muslim's life becomes an act of worship if it is done to build a better rela

tionship with God. Since man's purpose in life is to worship and submit to God, worship in Islam has been defined by God Himself in an all-encompassing way. Thi s special uniqueness can also be seen in the fact that most other religions only require formal worship once per week, while Islam requires it five times a day. Even more importantly, all rites of formal worship in Islam are based on Divine revelation, while the modes of worship in other religions are a mixture of Divi ne revelation, man-made traditions, opinions of clergymen and religious councils . Additionally, in Islam acts of worship such as prayer and fasting have been de scribed by God and His Prophet in such detail that it gives human beings a feeli ng of assurance that the way they are worshipping God is pleasing to Him. Based on Authentic Sources The preservation of the scripture of Islam -- the Noble Qur'an -- is unique amon g world religions. No other religion has a scripture which is both as old and as well-preserved as the one possessed by Muslims today. Even scholars who are hos tile to Islam admit that the Qur'an that exists today is exactly the same as the one that existed in the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Even though many people m istakenly assume that the Qur'an (also spelled Koran) was written by Muhammad, i t is actually the literal Word of God. Not only was Muhammad known by his people to be unable to read and write, but the Noble Qur'an clearly and repeatedly exc laims that it is from Almighty God - the Lord of the Universe. Unlike other reli gions, the followers of Islam have always considered their scripture to be the W ord of God in toto. The scriptures of other religions are made up of writings th at were not considered to be scripture until many years after they were written - the letters of (St.) Paul are a good example of this. Additionally, the Noble Qur'an has always been in the possession of the common believer, and as such was circulated very widely. In this way, Muslims know that their scripture is authe ntic, unlike other so-called "scriptures" which are still claimed to be scriptur e even though their authors are unknown. The Qur'an also remained pure and authe ntic because unlike other scriptures, it was written down and memorized in the l ifetime of the prophet that it was revealed to. Also, its wide circulation preve nted scholars, clergy and religious councils from deciding what should and shoul d not be part of the scripture -- since it was already in the hands of the peopl e in its complete form. It has always amazed people to find out that the entire Qur'an was not only memorized word-for-word by hundreds of the companions of Pro phet Muhammad, but that it has been memorized verbatim by thousands upon thousan ds of people until this very day in its original language of Arabic. It was only natural for Almighty God to preserve the scripture revealed to Prophet Muhammad , because he was the last Prophet and Final Messenger of God. In short, the Qu'r an is a unique scripture that has come down to us in its original form and uniqu e language. Due to its pristine teachings and unquestionable authenticity, the Q ur'an removes the need for man to wonder for himself how to worship and please G od, since God Himself has clearly described these things. An Eternal Message Islam has just as much meaning and is just as applicable to people living in tod ay's "modern world" as it did for people living 1400 years ago. Since the messag e of Islam is eternally true it is also very robust, and as such still has a str ong spiritual impact on millions of people living in the world today. The Pure M onotheism of Islam, as well as its universal brotherhood/sisterhood, strong mora ls and positive outlook on life, is still very relevant and meaningful to modern societies. The continued relevance and applicability to both the spiritual and worldly life of human beings from all around the word is just one of the many pr oofs of the Divine origin of the message of Islam. Unlike the teachings of other religions, the teachings of Islam don't need to be updated or watered-down in o rder to appeal to a human being living in today's troubled world. Since the teac

hings of Islam are both spiritually true and eternally practical, they can be li ved and implemented in the daily life of a person in order to make their life mo re fulfilling. In short, unique among world religions, Islam has not had to sacr ifice its integrity in order to be both applicable to "modern life" and to have enough spiritual impact to change people's lives. A Complete Way of Life Islam not just a "religion" in the traditional sense, because it is not just con fined to acts of worship, morality and other aspects of personal piety. The teac hings of Islam, even though they do cover religious rituals and morality, also e ncompass all other aspects of life. The Prophet Muhammad's mission encompassed n ot only spiritual and religious teachings, but also included guidance for such t hings as social reform, economics, politics, warfare and family life. Thus due t o the diversity and success of Muhammad's mission, Muslims have clear guidance f rom God and His Final Prophet on all aspects of life. This goes hand-in-hand wit h the Islamic belief that Almighty God does not leave human beings without guida nce in their daily lives -- thus His guidance is all-encompassing. Due to God's wisdom, and because Islam is the final revealed religion, the guidance that God has sent is applicable for all times and for all places. This can be seen in the fact that the guidance for some aspects of life is much more broad and flexible than others. Additionally, in the Qur'an, Almighty God has revealed to mankind that the purpose of our creation is to worship and remember God in all aspects o f our life, and to follow His guidance in everything that we do. Thus Islam does not accept a secular view of government and society, but only one based on the Law of God. Nor does Islam leave it to human beings to decide what is right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral based on their whims, desires or man-made idea. In short, Islam does not teach people to "Render unto Caesar the things w hich are Caesar's" because, according to Islam, everything belongs to God. Like all of its other teachings, Islam's view of other religions is balanced, realist ic and moderate. Islam doesn't view other religions as being either completely t rue nor completely false, but believes that all true religions were at one time divinely revealed. However, over time the teachings of the various religions, du e to a variety of reasons, have become distorted and mixed with made-man ideas. But nonetheless, Muslims are required to be tolerant of other revealed religions since the Qur'an clearly says: "Let there be no compulsion in religion". Moderation The teachings of Islam, since they are divinely revealed, are balanced in all of their aspects. Even though Islam is an all-encompassing way of life, it preache s moderation and rejects extremism. On the one hand, Islam does not preach compl ete rejection of all worldly pleasures in view of the life hereafter; and on the other hand it does not teach that earthly life is just for pleasure and enjoyme nt. In Islam, wealth and worldly pleasures can be partaken of in this life as lo ng as they are enjoyed in a way that is in obedience to God. However, Muslims ar e taught to keep in mind that the life hereafter is their ultimate goal, and the refore one should be charitable and not become too attached to worldly things. B y maintaining a balance between man's spiritual and physical needs, the teaching s of Islam are best suited for the needs of human beings in particular and socie ty in general. Since Islam is based on clear guidance from God, it rejects all m an-made religious excesses, such as certain forms of monasticism where people tr y to completely "reject the world" and other forms of extreme self-denial. Islam teaches that human beings have responsibilities at all levels -- to other indiv iduals, to their families and to society as a whole. By maintaining a unique bal ance between the physical and spiritual, and between the individual and society, Islam maintains a balance in all directions.

A Positive Outlook Most people will agree that having a strong self-esteem and a positive outlook o n life is conducive to achieving happiness and success. Unique among the religio ns of the world, Islam's view of both the nature of the human being and the purp ose of life are extremely positive. Islam's view of the nature of the human bein g is balanced. On the one hand they are not viewed as being inherently evil, but on the other they are not considered to be perfect - nor are they expected to b e so. According to the teachings of Islam, every human being, man or woman, is b orn with a clean slate and is equally capable of both good and evil. Since God h as bestowed limited free-will on human beings, they will ultimately be held resp onsible for their actions. Believing that "salvation" is based on "faith alone" reduces human life to a near meaningless and fatalistic existence. The teachings of Islam make it clear that human beings, since their nature is basically good, are capable of positive action in this life, and that the best way to achieve a balanced, happy and fulfilled life is complete submission to Almighty God. Cert ainly, no person can completely submit to God by simply wanting to do so, but by first realizing that none has a right to be worshipped and obeyed except for Al mighty God, and then making a reasonable effort to follow God's commands, all hu man beings can fulfill their reason for existence - which is to worship God alon e. . The Noble Qur'an tells us that "man was created weak" and thus falls into s in often. On the other hand, man is not to think of himself as so evil and corru pt so as to despair of God's mercy. As a recourse to this, and since Islam conde mns self-righteousness, a pious life can only be lived by trusting in God -- sin ce there is no power or strength except through God. As such, spiritual felicity is achieved by a combination of both faith and action. As such, the most righte ous person is not one who thinks that repentance is unnecessary, but the one who admits and realizes his mistakes - and then repents. According to the word of A lmighty God as revealed in the Holy Qur'an, mankind is God's trustee on earth; a nd as such the life of this world is a test, not a punishment. Even before God c reated the first man, He knew that he would sin, however God created man in spit e of this. According to the Qur'an, God has bestowed on human beings a great tru st and given them dignity. It is only by worshipping Almighty God, directly and without intermediaries, that a human being can fulfull their true innate nature and purpose of existence. In short, Islam is realistic. It portrays human beings just as they are and the life of the world just as it is. Since the outlook of Islam is divinely revealed is not based on wishful or negative thinking, but sim ply on reality. Islam also has a positive view of mankind in general, since it t eaches that the best person in the sight of God is the one who is most God-consc ious. In this way the truth of Islam and the universality of God's message trans cends all of the barriers of race, nationality, ethnic group and economic status . ******************************************************************************** ********** Islam! The Modern Alternative http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=197:islam-themodern-alternative&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid=191 Clearing the misconceptions that Islaam has restrictive rules and close-minded i deas. This brief articles shows how Islaam can serve as the modern solution to w hatever ails mankind. "So Man-made laws are often defined by a person s personal motives, emotions, limi ted intellect, beliefs and prejudices. Thus, they are designed with these builtin flaws. This is why human law has so many loop-holes and deficiencies. It is a lways requiring change, modification and re-modification, time after time!"

Some people think that to live an Islamic life is "restrictive". Islam however, was revealed as a balanced way of living. Allaah (The Most High) created all the humans with what is called 'A Fitrah' (a natural state/desire) [1]. Islam recognizes that within this Fitrah there are motivations that influence a man's role on earth e.g. a desire for good food and drink, to have a home, a des ire for love and intimacy, to protect and be protected and to be successful and strong. Without some form of control and limit, all of these legitimate motives could prove very dangerous. So what constitutes the perfect control for the Fitrah? It must be a method that provides an organized yet practical demonstration of how to balance all these n atural human desires. It cannot be something that goes against the Fitrah, by pl acing on it extra burdens. Likewise, it cannot be something that allows the huma n desires to run wild without any form of control. Islam is the perfect control for the Fitrah. It provides a divine method that el evates man above animals and the rest of creation. Limited Wisdom Humans lack perfect knowledge as well as perfect wisdom. No matter how hard we t ry, we will never attain the perfect way of life by our own thinking and interpr etation. This is the reason why Allaah being the Most Wise, sent us the Qur'an a nd the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)[2], as well as those proph ets and revelations that preceeded (i.e. Moses, Jesus - Torah, Bible) to show us this practical and organized way of life. Allaah, being Perfect, in His Wisdom and Knowledge, perfected a complete way of life for us. He has set His limitations and rules, all of which are beneficial t o mankind, and therefore, do not need changing: "These are the limits (set) by Allaah, so do not approach them" (al-Baqarah (the Cow) 2:1871) "These are the limits set by Allaah, so do not transgress them" (al-Baqarah (the Cow) 2:229) This is why Islam does not allow celibacy, because it is against the Fitrah, i.e ., the desire for sex. Celibacy goes beyond the limits required by humans, and i s something that cannot be fulfilled because humans are designed to procreate. A s humans we are not expected to fast every single day for the rest of our lives (for most 30 days of the year provides an up-hill struggle). It is also from ign orance to say that 'I shall not sleep during the night, but rather I shall pray! ' [3] Humans have not been created by Allah to live life in such a manner. There is a balance which must be observed. The following incident describes the Islamic stance towards such behavior, Anas reported that some of the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to say: "I will not marry women"; someone else said: "I will not e at meat"; and someone else said: "I will not lie down in bed". (On hearing this) : The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) praised Allah, and glorified Him and said: "what has happened to these people that they say so and so, whereas I obs erve prayer and I sleep too. I observe fast and I break my fast; I marry women a lso. And he who turns away from my Sunnah (i.e., my example or lifestyle), he ha s no relation with me" [Narrated in Saheeh Muslim vol. 2. p703. no. 32361].

Islam on the other hand, does not allow the person to surrender themselves to lu st and desire, as in contemporary 'civilisation'. Islam recognizes the love a ma n has for women, children, gold, silver, and other possessions. But it provides a limit for the amount of this worldly pleasure which we require, and reminds us of the life in the hereafter. "Beautified for men is the love of things they desire: Women, Children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life, but Allaah has the excellent return (Paradise)" (Aali-Imraan (The Family of Imraan) 3:141) The inclinations and desires of the Fitrah are not to become the objective in li fe. Rather they are to be taken in a stabilized manner. The way to deal with the m is real and Allah (The Most High) has given us the detailed descriptions of a leveled approach. This leveled approach gives mankind the perfectly balanced ple asure in this worldly life. The method of maintaining a well-balanced life is no t an endurance test to see who lasts the longest. Allah has revealed Islam, to s how us how to attain this balance in a real manner. Life is not a torturous spir itual test, where you are ordered to Iive in mountains and trees. Fasting all ye ar round is not obligatory. Marriage is permissible and you do not have to beat yourself senseless to purify your soul! Rather as Muslims, we must try to follow the Prophet and his balanced teachings of life and living. As Allaah says in th e Qur'an: "Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), you have a goo d example to follow.." (Al-Ahzab (The Confederates) 33:21) Restrictive Rules The use of the word "restrictive" often comes from those who think they live a " free-life". But the fact of the matter is that, wherever you go you will find ru les and regulations. For example, in the workplace, in colleges and universities and more obviously on the roads, i.e. the highway and green cross traffic codes . Wherever you are, there are rules and regulations. Islam forbids us to follow many of the rules which are held by western culture a nd subcultures. Yet people in the west are more than willing to obey them, becau se they believe that these rules will protect them. How wrong they are! Rave sub culture is a classical example of this. Informal dance floor rules dictate to us ". . . . to drink lots of water, have frequent breaks and don't take too many p ills in one go!" Despite these "recommendations", young people are still dying [ 4]. Western society is obsessed with 'safe sex', in order to 'prevent the risk of ca tching AIDS'. Despite the wide availability of contraceptives, AIDS is still on the increase, and people are dropping like flies from this killer epidemic. Do we think of these rules as being restrictive? If anything you would expect th em to bring about a sense of control and order, as well as increasing the pleasu re. Without realizing, people are ready and willing to accept many man-made rule s. Rules that are invented by one group of people and to be obeyed by the rest o f society. These rules are not perfect because man is imperfect, yet people acce pt them and hope and believe that they will benefit from them. A Better Offer! So when the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth is offering a reward which is h

igh, and the Benefit is eternal, shouldn't we at least see what's on offer? "You desire the good of this world, but Allaah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allaah is Almighty, All Wise" (Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War) 8:67) ". . . in a lofty Paradise. Therein will be a running spring. Therein will be th rones raised high. And cups set at hand. And cushions set in rows. And rich carp ets (all) spread out" (Al-Ghaashiyah (The Overwhelming) 88:10-16) This worldly life has many good things in it. Things that Allaah has created for us to utilize. But the reality is all of these luxuries and benefits of the wor ld will come to an end. For example, a person's good looks may do them many favo urs during their youth, but will it hold them on good ground when they are 60. S uch is the reality of old age. Likewise with wealth. Islam allows you to gain wealth as long as you do not oppr ess other people, and transgress the limits set by Allaah (The Most High). An ex ample of this is making people pay back more money than they actually borrow, th rough usury or interest payments. However wealth can not benefit you when you die, as it only passes on to your fa mily as inheritance. Such is the civility of modem society, that many people are even killed, just so that inheritance can be gained sooner rather then later!! Thus, we should see ourselves as travelers on a journey. A traveler is one who i s constantly on the move. He will only take essential provisions, and not all hi s life's possessions. Likewise, a person must realize that Allaah did not design the luxuries of this world to last forever. They only exist to aid our worship of Allaah, which will take us to the journey's end, the hereafter. Being human, we must one-day die, and our worldly benefits and luxuries will also perish. The true wealth is indeed with Allaah in the next-life. As Allaah says: "Seeking the perishable goods of the worldly life. There are much more profits a nd booties with Allaah"(An-Nisa (The women) 4:94) Man-made restrictions exist in all aspects of western society. Industry, travel and leisure, are just a few of the sectors which are dominated by human restrict ions. Humans automatically assume that these restrictions are there to protect t hem. In part this may be true, but what about the restrictions set by Allaah whi ch can save the whole of mankind? Such restrictions come from the One Who is Per fect, and not man, who is imperfect! The so-called 'freedom' of 'modern civiliza tion', is one which is defined for you, by another human. We are often told what is 'politically correct' and what is not. We are told that this is what everybo dy will be wearing this summer, and that this is the film to watch. Those are th e new Hollywood stars to emerge. You shouldn't be seen 'dead' in this dress and you should paint your fingernails this colour. The list is endless. All of this is then redefined to fit in with the next wave of fashion trends. Those who do not conform are labeled, bigamist, narrow-minded, backward, out-dat ed and so on. Modem civilization allows you so much freedom, that you can even waiver the law if you are 'well connected'. Laws are often defined by a small group of people, with everyone else conforming to what they consider right and wrong. What kind o f justice is this? This would be more acceptable to those who accept the concept of man being divine. A concept where men decide what is moral and immoral even if it contradicts what God has already laid out for us. God has no part to play in such a civilization, because man has adopted the role of god for himself. His tory bears witness to this as it was the way of the civilisations before the adv ent of the prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), as Allaah says:

"They (Jews & Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords be sides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful accor ding to their own desires without being ordered by Allaah)" (at-Tawbah (The Repe ntance) 9:31) The true freedom of man is found in a civilisation that has a divine value syste m. A civilisation in which man submits to his Creator alone. A civilisation that reacts with the life of this world and links it to the Day of Judgement. On tha t Day, everyone will be held accountable in front of Allah, the Creator and The True Master of the universe. The Purpose Allah created man and man belongs to Him. Allah decreed that one day man shall d ie and return to Him. The world is just a temporary period. We are born, we live in this world and then we die. So while we are on this earth Allaah has given us the instruction manual to shap e our lives according to what He has decreed. This is the meaning of worship. It requires absolute obedience, humility and love for Allaah, the way He has presc ribed it. We cannot love Allaah the way we want to, especially if we do not know what Alla ah loves or hates in the first place. So through Allaah's Perfect Wisdom and Infinite Knowledge, He sent us the Qur'aa n and the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), and told us how this l ove is to be expressed: "Say (O Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) to mankind): If you really love A llaah then follow me (i.e. the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), and accept that Allaah is the one truly deserving of worship, follow the Qur'an and the Su nnah). Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Most Forgiv ing, Most Merciful" (Aali-Imraan (The Family of Imraan) 3:31) The Problem with Human Law Humans by themselves cannot determine what is good and bad for each other for al l of the time. Man-made laws are often defined by a person's personal motives, emotions, limite d intellect, beliefs and prejudices. Thus, they are designed with these built-in flaws. This is why human law has so many loop-holes and deficiencies. It is alw ays requiring change, modification and re-modification, time after time! So when Allaah (The Most High) revealed the Qur'an and the example of the Prophe t (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), all the details about good and bad, or right an d wrong, were not left for the limited nature of mankind to define for themselve s. Allaah (The Most High) says: "And We have sent down to you the Book (Qur'an) as an EXPLANATION of EVERYTHING and a GUIDANCE, a Mercy and glad tidings for those who have surrendered (to Alla ah as Muslims)" (An-Nahl (The Bee) 16:89) So What is Islam saying?

The message of Islam fits the Fitrah of man. Allah (The Most Wise) created man i n the best form. He gave his Fitrah the ability to believe in the unseen. Thus, man's soul and its horizons are broader and more open than that of the rest of c reation - like the animals, bird's and insects. In nature we can see the signs o f Allah: "Do they not look at the camels, and how they were created? And at the heavens, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are rooted and fixed firm? And at the earth, how it is spread out?" (Al-Ghaashiyah (The Overwhelming) 88:17-20) In ourselves we can see Allah's signs through the diversity of our languages, co lours and nationalities. "O mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and have made you into n ations and tribes, that you may know one another" (Al-Hujuraat (The Dwellings) 4 9:13) Having been told this, we must now recognise the Perfect way our Creator has cho sen for us to follow, which is: "Indeed, in the Messenger (Muhammad), you have a good example to follow" (Al-Ahz ab (The Confederates) 33:21) We have been commanded to worship Allaah alone without partners. We must recogni se and understand that He is the Only True God who deserves to be worshipped; "So know (Muhammad), that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah" (Mu hammad 47:19) To help us do this, Allah (The Most High) sent the Prophet Muhammed (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), to deliver and explain the Final Message of Islam, and to hel p us recognise and worship our Lord in the best manner. We have been told to for m our lives' according to this Message, by following and imitating the Final Mes senger who is our only guide to worshipping our Lord: Allah. This is what is meant when we say: Laa-illaa-ha il-Allaah, wa Muhammadur RasoolAllaah. "There is no true God worthy of worship except Allaah, and Muhammad is t he Final Messenger of Allaah" Endnotes: 1 This can be explained as, the inborn or innate nature of mankind to recognise the Truth about the Creator [Allah]; that he is the only one who truly and since rely deserves to be worshipped. 2 SallAllaahu Alayhi Wassallam, i.e. The peace and Blessings Of Allaah Be upon h im (the Prophet). We as Muslims have been commanded to say this every time the P rophet's name is mentioned. This is done as a mark of respect and the honour whi ch he deserves. 3 This is not to say that prayer at night is not important, but if you don't get enough sleep how are you going to fulfil your other obligations, e.g. going to work in order to provide for your family. The times of praying at night have bee n explained by the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) as being in the last 3r d of the night before the Fajr prayer. 4 The death of the teenager Leah Betts a few years ago [in England -SA], has sho wn how such rules work to destroy the very society which forms them ******************************************************************************** Islam: The Call to Submission

http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=198:islam-thecall-to-submission&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid=191 A call to true submission, not a submission to mankind, or any worldly things. "So Islam is a religion and way of life for all people from whatever race or bac kground they might be. It is not a new religion. It is in essence the same messa ge and guidance, which Allaah revealed to all His previous Messengers through Ad am, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and finally Muhammad. It is a religion and way o f life that guides its followers in all aspects of life. The Reign of Islamic Da 'wah Centre, Toronto, Canada" In the Name of Allaah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful "Say (O Muhammad): "We believe in Allaah and what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes (sons of Jacob) and what was gi ven to Moses, Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction bet ween one another among them and to Him (Allaah) we have submitted (in Islam)"." (The Noble Qur an 3:84) Verily all praise is due to Allah, We praise Him, we seek His Help ans ask for H is Forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah from all evils in our souls and from ou r sinful deeds. Whosoever Allaah guides no one can mislead and whosoever Allaah leaves to stray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allaah, He is One and has no partners. And I bear witness that M uhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant ant last Messenger. O believers have fear and consciousness of Allaah according to His right and die not except as Mu slims. O mankind have fear and consciousness of your Lord, the One Who created y ou from one soul and from it, its mate and from them spread many men and women. And fear Allaah from Whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut off famil y relations. Surely, Allaah is Ever an All-Watcher over you. O believers have fe ar and consciousness of Allaah and always speak the truth. He will direct you to do righteous deeds and will forgive you your sins. Whosoever obeys Allaah and H is Messenger has indeed achieved a great achievement. Allaah says in the Qur an: (References of the Qur an are English interpretations of the Arabic) "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, a nd have chosen for you Islam as your religion." (Qur an 3:5) And "Say (O Muhammad): It is revealed to me that your God is only one God. Will you the submit to His Will?" (Qur an 21:108) Islam is a religion and way of life for all people from whatever race or backgro und they might be. It is not a new religion. It is in essence the same message a nd guidance, which Allaah revealed to all His previous Messengers through Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and finally Muhammad. It is a religion and way of li fe that guides its followers in all aspects of life. Allaah says in the Noble Qur an: "The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you mates from yourse lves, and for the cattle (also) mates. By this means He creates you (in the womb

s). There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, The All-Seer. To H im belong the keys of the heavens and the earth, He enlarges provision for whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills). Verily! He is the All-Knower of everything. He (Allaah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islam) which He ordained for Noah, and that which We have inspired in you (O Muhammad), and that which We ordained for Abraham, Moses and Jesus saying you should establish reli gion, and make no divisions in it. Intolerable for the (disbeliveers in the Onen ess of Allaah, pagans, idolaters and polytheists), is that to which you (O Muham mad) call them. Allaah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides unto Himself who turns to Him in repentance and in obedience." (Qur an 42:11-13) Islam is a religion and way of life based upon submission to Allaah, Whom is One . The very name of the religion "Islam" in Arabic, means submission, peace and o bedience, for it is in submitting to Allaah s Will that human beings gain peace in their lives. The message of Islam concerns Allaah and it addresses itself to hu manity s most profound nature. It concerns men and women as Allah created them not as fallen beings. Each of us created not except by the Will of Allah. Thus it i s by Him that we enter this world in a state of submission to His Will (Islam). Islam therefore, considers itself to be not an innovation of man s desire to intro duce something new but a reassertion of the universal truth of all revelation of Allaah s Oneness. A call to return to this state of purity, peace, obedience and submission that we were born in, to which all Messengers and Prophets of Allah i nvited us. Islam means to submit one s will and desires to the Will of Allaah and obedience to His Law. Allah s Law totally administers everything and every phenome non in the universe other than human kind. They are obedient to Allaah and submi ssive. Therefore, they are in a state of Islam. Man, however, possesses the qual ity of intelligence and choice. Submission to the Will of Allah, together with o bedience is the only safeguard for man s peace and harmony in this life and in the hereafter. Allaah says in the Noble Qur an: "Glory be to Him, Who has created all pairs of that which the earth produces, as well as of their own (human) kind (male and female), and of that which they kno w not. And a sign for them is the night, We withdraw therefrom the day, and beho ld, they are in darkness. And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appoi nted). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All- Knowing." (Qur an 36:36-38) And "He brings out the living from the dead, and brings out the dead from the living . And He revives the earth after its death. And thus shall you be brought out (r esurrected). And among His Signs is this, that he created (Adam) from dust, and then [Eve from Adam s rib, and then his offspring from the semen, and], - behold y ou are human beings scattered. And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has pu t between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed sign s for men of sound knowledge. And among His Signs is the sleep that you take at night and by day, and your seeking of His Bounty. Verily, in that are indeed sig ns for a people who listen. And among His Signs is that He shows you the lightni ng, by way of fear and hope, and He sends down water from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a peopl e who understand. And among His Signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His Command, the afterwards when He will call you by a single call, behold you w ill come out from the earth. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the e arth. All are obedient to Him. (Qur an 30:19-26)

And "See you not that to Allaah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the t rees, and the animals, and many of mankind?" (Qur an 22:18) Islam enjoins faith in the Oneness and Sovereignty of Allah, which creates an aw areness of the unity and meaningfulness of the universe and man s place in it. Thi s belief frees him from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of t he presence of Allaah and his need to submit to Him (Allaah); To surrender all h is desires and will to Allah s Will with full faith that His Will for man is the b est means of attaining peace in this life and in the hereafter. Thus he is invit ed to submit to the Will of Allah and obey His Law. Allaah says in the Glorious Qur an: "Truly the religion in the Sight of Allaah is Islam. Those who were given the Sc ripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, aft er knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the Ayat (proofs, evid ences, verses, signs, revelations) of Allaah, then surely, Allaah is Swift in ca lling to account. So is they dispute with you (Muhammad) say: "I have submitted myself to Allaah (in Islam), and (so have) those who follow me." And say to thos e who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and to those who are illite rates: "Do you (also) submit yourselves (to Allaah in Islam)?" If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Messa ge; and Allaah is All-Seer of His slaves." (The Glorious Qur an 3:19-20) And "Say (O Muhammad): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a w ord that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allaah, and that w e associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allaah. Then, if they turn away, say: " Bear witness that we are Muslim s." O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you dispute about Ab raham, while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have you no sense? Verily, you are those who have disputed about that of which you have knowledge. Why do you then dispute about that which you have no knowledge? It is Allaah Who knows, and you know not. Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim and he was not of the polytheists. Verily, among mankin d who have the best claim to Abraham are those who followed him, and this Prophe t (Muhammad) and those who have believed (Muslims), And Allaah is the Wali (Prot ector and Helper) of the believers." (The Glorious Qur an 3:64-68) Every action done with the awareness that it fulfills the Will of Allaah is cons idered an act of worship in Islam. But it is the specific acts of worship termed the Pillars of Islam, which provide the framework of Muslim life. The Declaration of faith. "I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His servant and last Messenger." The Prophe thood of Muhammad obliges Muslims to follow his exemplary life in every respect. Prayers are prescribed five times a day. It strengthens and enlivens belief in A llaah and inspires man to higher morality. It purifies the heart and controls te mptation, wrongdoing and evil. A time to seek forgiveness and remember Allaah, T he Sustainer and Giver of Life. Fasting during the month of Ramadan. This means abstention from food, beverages and sex from dawn to sunset, and curbing evil intentions and desires. It teaches love, sincerity and devotion. It develops patience, unselfishness, social consc ience and willpower to bear hardships.

Zakat is a proportionately fixed contribution collected from the wealth and earn ings of the community. It is spent on the poor and needy in particular and the w elfare of the society in general. The payment of Zakat purifies ones wealth and helps to establish economic balance and social justice in the society. Hajj is pilgrimage to the Ka bah in Makhah, once in a lifetime, provided one has t he means to make the journey. It is with this same obedience to submit to the Will of Allaah that Muslims toda y invite all mankind to follow as did all Prophets and Messengers before us .To remind us of our duty to our Creator and the benefits of submitting to His Will. Allah says in the Glorious Qur an: "By Al-Asr (the time). Verily! Man is in loss, except those who believe and do r ighteous good deeds and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one ano ther to patience." (Qur'an, 103) We, who believe, therefore urge you to join us in submitting to Allaah s Will; A W ill that will remove these nettles and confusion from our hearts and set us upri ght and firm on the Straight Path to a glorious and everlasting prosperity. Allah says in the Noble Qur an: "O you who believe! Fear Allaah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstain ing from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him and be tha nkful to Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with c omplete submission to Allaah." (Qur an 3:102) I close with an advice for those who would strive to seek the truth: "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen Has taught man that which he knew not. Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds. Because he considers hims elf self-sufficient. Surely! Unto your Lord is the return." (Qur an 96:1-8) ******************************************************************** The 20 Most Commonly asked Questions about Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=199:the-20-mos t-commonly-asked-questions-about-islam&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid= 191 A compilation of common questions about Islaam answered with proofs from the Qur 'an prepared by reverted Muslims in Canada. "This peace is contentment with yourself and your surroundings that could only b e achieved by wilfully submitting to God, obeying what He commands and abstainin g from what He forbids. The Reign of Islamic Da'wah Centre, Toronto, Canada" In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful The word "Islam" means peace and submission to the Will of the only God worthy o f being worshipped. This peace is contentment with yourself and your surrounding s that could only be achieved by willfully submitting to God, obeying what He co mmands and abstaining from what He forbids.

WHO IS ALLAAH? Allaah is the name in Arabic for the "One God". Allaah is the Creator, Sustainer , Planner and Organizer. He is the only deity that has the right to be worshippe d (i.e. praying, supplicating, fasting, etc.). In Islam, the belief in the One G od cannot be separated from the acts of worshipping the One God. In other words, it is not enough to simply think you believe in the Oneness of the Creator but that belief must be affirmed by your statement and actions. Example, it would ne gate ones belief in the Oneness of the Creator if he directs his worship to a ma n (or any of the other created things). WHO IS A PROPHET? A Prophet is a person who is appointed by God to call the people to the worship and believe in the One God. All Prophets were given miracles by Allaah to prove that they were Prophets. For example, Moses was given the miracles to free the C hildren of Israel, Jesus was given the ability to heal the sick and raise the de ad by Allaah's leave and Muhammad was given the Qur an which is the everlasting and literal speech of Allaah. May Allaah send His peace and blessings on all the Pr ophets. Ameen! WHAT IS THE QUR AN? The Qur an is the Last Revelation from your Lord. It was revealed in the pure Arab ic language to the Prophet Muhammad and has been kept preserved and unchanged, i n its original form. The English interpretation of the Qur an will be used as refe rence in this brochure. It is not Allaah's' Word rather, it is a general interpr etation of the meaning of the Qur an. The Qur an confirms the truth in the Torah, Ps alms and the Gospel. WHO WAS MUHAMMAD? Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger. He was born into the tribe of Quari sh in the year 570 AD. His ancestry goes back to the Prophet Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham. His father died before his birth and his mother died before he was six. As a young man he was known as Al-Ameen (the trustworthy). He would re treat to a cave outside of Mecca where, he would ponder and reflect about the im moral practices and customs of the Pagan Arabs. He received revelation from the Creator at the age of 40 through the Angel Gabriel. Subsequently, the Revelation s came over the period of 23 years and are collectively in the Qur an. WHAT ARE THE PILLARS OF ISLAM? Islam has 5 Pillars. 1. (Iman) Belief that no deity is worthy of worship except Allaah and Muhammad i s His Last Prophet and Messenger. 2. (Salat) Prayers, which are performed 5 times a day. 3. (Siyam) Fasting in the month of Ramadaan. Abstaining from food, drink and sex ual relations with spouses from sunrise to sunset. 4. (Zakat) Charity is the requirement of 2.5% of a Muslims' saved earnings given to the poor once a year as purification of his wealth. 5. (Hajj) Pilgrimage is a journey to the Kab'ah in the sacred city of Mecca. Mus lims are required to do this at least once in a lifetime if they are physically and financially able. WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FAITH?

Belief in Allaah, His Oneness and ascribing no partners to Him. Belief in the Angels (Gabriel, Michael, Israfil, etc.). Belief in the revealed scriptures (Torah, Psalms, Gospel) in their original form , not as they exist today. Belief in Allaah s Messengers (Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad etc.) Belief in the Day of Resurrection. Belief in Pre-Ordainment. The good or bad of it. WHO IS A MUSLIM? One who practices the 5 pillars of Islam and believes in the fundamentals of fai th. One can become a Muslim by saying; "Ashadhu An Laa ilaha illa Allaah, wa ash adhu anna Muhammad ar-rasulullah." This means, " I bear witness that no deity ha s the right to be worshipped except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is H is servant and Final Messenger." All Prophets preceding Muhammad were Muslims. T his includes Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Jesus. Is there a doubt that these Prophets did not submit their will to the Creator? Allaah says in the Qur a n: "Abraham was neither a Jew or a Christian, but he was a true Muslim and he wa s not of the idolaters." (Qur an 3:67) It is important to note that other religion s are derived from the name of a place or a person. Examples of this are: Judais m is derived from the tribe of Judah, Hinduism is from the Indus River, Buddhism is from Goutam Buddha and Christianity is from Jesus Christ. Islam is the only revealed religion and way of life that directly attaches its worshippers to the servitude of the Creator. IS ISLAM THE ONLY RELIGION ACCEPTABLE TO THE CREATOR? Yes! As explained in the introduction, Islam means peace through the submission to the Will of Allaah. One who does this is called a Muslim. Therefore, the only thing acceptable to the Creator is submission to Him. Allaah says: "Do they see k other than the Religion of Allaah (Islam)? While to Him submit all other creat ures in the heavens and the Earth, willingly or unwillingly. And to Him they sha ll all be returned. Say, We believe in Allaah and what was sent down to us, and w hat was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes, and what was revealed to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distincti on between them, and to Him (Allaah) we have submitted (in Islam)."And whosoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will be of the losers (in the hellfire)." (Qur an 3:83-85) WILL THE ACTIONS OF NON-BELIEVERS BE WASTED? Yes! Allaah says: "Say, 'Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of the ir deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought t hat they were acquiring good by their deeds. They are those who deny the revelat ion of their Lord and the meeting with Him (in the Hereafter). So their works ar e in vain and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall not give them any weight. Tha t shall be their recompense, Hell; because disbelieved and took My revelations a nd My Messengers by way of jest and mockery. Verily, those who believe (in the O neness of Allah-Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds shall have the G arden of Paradise for their entertainment." (Qur an 18:103-107) WHAT IS THE HEREAFTER? The "Hereafter" is the final destiny of all worldly existence starting at the ti me of death. The day mankind will be resurrected from their graves then they sha

ll be brought to account for their deeds whether good or evil. Allaah says: "I ( Allah) swear by the Day of Resurrection, and I (Allaah) swear by self-reproachin g person. Does Man think that We shall not assemble his bones? Yes, We are able to put together in perfect order the tips of his fingers. Nay! (Man denies Resur rection and Reckoning. So) he desires to continue committing sins. He asks, When will be this Day of Resurrection? So, when the sight shall be dazed, and the moon will eclipsed, and the sun and the moon will be joined together. On that day ma n will say, Where is the place that I can flee to?' No! There is no refuge! Unto that your Lord (Alone) will be the place of rest that day. On that day men will be informed of what he sent forward ( of evil or good deeds), and what he left behind (of his good or evil practices). Nay! Man will be a witness against himse lf." (Qur an 35:1-4) DO MUSLIMS WORSHIP MUHAMMAD? No! Muslims do not worship Muhammad nor do they worship any other Prophets, Sain ts, or created things. It is not permissible for a Muslim to pray, supplicate, o r direct any type of worship to any created thing in rivalry to the Lord of all that exists. Allaah says: "Say (to them Muhammad), I am only a man like you. It h as been inspired to me that your God is One God. So whoever hopes for the Meetin g with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in t he Worship of his Lord.' " (Qur an 18:110) WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF OUR CREATION? As we examine Allaah s creation, we will inevitably conclude that all things have a purpose. If we look at the delicate balance of our universe, as vast as it is, orchestrated in perfect synchronization. The human body and its various differe nt processes like thought, movement, vision and its ability to heal itself. The earth and its countless number of life forms, various plants, vegetables and ani mals. The weather system, the seasons and the water cycle. Surely, these things have some purpose, more so for human beings. Allaah says: "And We (Allaah) creat ed not the spirits and men, except that they should worship Me (alone)." (Qur'an 51:56) As the verse states in point #8, all things are in a state of submission to the Creator by following the natural laws that they have been created for. W e were born in a state of submission, not in a state of sin as we had no choice in the matter and we will die in submission. Between these two time spans, man h as been given the rational ability to choose to submit to his Creator. Know for surety that we will all die and none of us knows when we re going to die. Isn t it t ime you submitted to your Lord? WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS? Jesus, the son of Mary is a servant and Messenger of Allaah. Allaah says in the Qur an that Jesus was born of a miraculous birth; "Verily, the likeness of Jesus b efore Allaah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said u nto him: Be and he was." (Qur an 3:59). He performed many miracles as a Prophet by A llaah s permission such as resurrecting the dead, healing the blind and sick, maki ng a living bird out of clay and speaking as new born infant. Jesus brought the same message as the other Prophets. He is not to be worshipped as the "Son of Go d!" Jesus was raised alive up to Allaah from where he will return to re-establis h the Law of Allaah on earth. WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT THE "SON OF GOD", "TRINITY" AND MARY? Your Creator says: "Surely, they have disbelieved who say: Allaah is the Messiah (Jesus). ; But the Messiah said, O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord. Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the pol ytheists there are no helpers. Surely, the disbelievers are those who said, Allaa

h is a third of the three (in a trinity). But there is no god but the One God. An d if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall th e disbelievers among them. Will they not repent to Allaah and ask for His Forgiv eness? For Allaah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. The Messiah, son of Mary is n o more than a Messenger. Many were the Messengers that passed away before him. H is mother was a truthful woman. They both used to eat food (As other human being s, while Allaah does not eat). Look how Allaah makes the revelations clear to th em, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)." (Qur an 5:72-75) DOES ISLAM OPPRESS WOMEN? No. On the contrary, 1400 years ago Islam liberated women. At that time in Europ e, Christian scholars were debating whether women had souls, if yes, did they ha ve animal souls or human souls? Until recently women were stripped of their last names to illustrate that they were the property of their husbands. As for Islam , women are equal to men in all acts of piety, they keep their last names, they are allowed to keep their own money, choose who they want to marry, have the rig ht to seek a divorce, have the right to inheritance and have the right to be pro tected and maintained by their husbands. They have been dignified and exonerated by the Hijab (Islamic covering). In the West, women are portrayed as sex object s to be used and discarded. We see them being used to sell cars, alcohol and eve n bubble gum. In Islam, women have been elevated to a stature that surpasses the roles placed upon them by any religion or culture. Women are not to be abused o r oppressed but they are to be respected and cared for. As a result, Islam is th e fastest growing religion in the world amongst women. IS POLYGYNY PERMISSIBLE? Yes! Islam regulated matrimony in that men are permitted to marry up to four wiv es provided they treat them fairly and equally. The man must first be financiall y capable to take another wife, provide different residences and be able to divi de his time equally amongst them. In the western society many men who are marrie d to only one wife usually have extramarital affairs. Thus a survey was publishe d in the USA Today (April 4, 1988; Section D) which asked 4700 mistresses, what would they like their status to be (mistress or second wife). They said, "I pref er being a second wife rather than the other woman". The reasons for this are th at they didn t have any legal rights, nor did they have the financial equality of the legally married wives and it appeared that these men were using them. Islam is clearly against extra or premarital affairs (fornication) as this leads to co rruption in the society and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Don t peo ple feel bad when they have children out of wedlock? These children have the rig ht to grow up knowing that they have parents who are responsible enough to have planned to bring them into the world. No one would like to be told that they wer e an accident. As for those against polygyny, statistics show that because of wa rs there are more women in the world than there are men. Other reasons are, most married men engage in extramarital affairs and there is an increase in homosexu ality amongst men, thus causing an excess amount of women to men. The Islamic so lution of polygyny is the best solution to the seemingly difficult problems that plague our society in our man to woman relationships. Additionally, it is a per missible act, with conditions, legislated by the Creator. Wheras, the concept of monogomy is a neo-christian concept with no textual evidence from any of the re velations, a practice not used by the prophets and messengers. DOES ISLAM PROMOTE TERRORISM? Absolutely Not. Islam condemns all acts of oppression. Necessary force is permis sible only when one is defending oneself, family, and right to practice his/her religion or fighting tyranny and oppression. Muslims who blow up buildings and k ill innocent people are not acting in accordance with what Islam teaches.

IS THERE RACISM IN ISLAM? No. Muslims are found in every country, whether they are European, African, Asia n or American. 1 in every 5 people on the earth is a Muslim, Which means there a re 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. Islam promotes racial harmony and tolerance . Allaah says: " O mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most hon ourable of you in the Sight of Allaah is the believer who has the most piety. Ve rily, Allaah is All Knowing, All Aware." (Qur an 49:13) This is in opposition to L ouis Farrakhan s disbelieving lies against Islam, in saying that, Allaah appeared i n the person of Master W. Fard Muhammad , or We the original (black) nation of the earth . The Believers seek refuge with Allaah from such lies against Allaah. Ameen ! HAS THE QUR AN PREDICTED THE NEW DISCOVERIES OF MODERN SCIENCE? Yes! Since the Qur an came from the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, it is on ly befitting that science would later confirm what is in the Qur an. Examples of t his are, the expansion of the universe as stated in the Qur an: "With power did We construct the heaven. Verily, We expand the vastness of space." (Qur an 51:47) Ev ery living thing is created from water: "Do not those who disbelieve know that t he heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parte d them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they then not belie ve?" (Qur an 21:30) The trimester: " He (Allaah) created you in the wombs of your mo thers, creation after creation in three veils of darkness, such is Allaah your L ord. How then are you turned away (from the truth)?" (Qur an 39:7) There are sever al other examples proving that the Qur an is from your Lord. Allaah says: "Do they not consider the Qur an carefully? Had it been from other than Allaah, they would have found therein much contradictions." (Qur an 4: 82) SHOULD YOU BECOME A MUSLIM RIGHT NOW? Absolutely! If you believe in what you have read in this brochure, we strongly s uggest that you don t delay. You are now accountable for what you know about Islam . For many people Islam has balanced their lives, created a form of discipline, given them respect and dignity and given them peace and tranquility in a society that has been ravaged by mental illnesses, excessive materialism, substance abu se, increase in crime and an all time decline in human morality. Allaah warns us in the Qur an: "O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared. And die no t except in a state of Islam (as Muslims)."(Qur an 3:102) If you wish to become a Muslim, refer to point #7 and/or view our contact page f or more assistance. We invite you to become a Muslim. Islam - The Religion of all the Prophets ******************************************************************************* A brief Introduction to Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=200:a-brief-in troduction-to-islam&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid=191 A detailed essay covering the continuity of the message of Islam, its solution f or mankind, the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammad and more. "The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human bei ngs should submit to Him. The Reign of Islamic Da'wah Centre, Toronto, Canada"

Islam and Muslims The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "submission to the will of God". This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means "peac e". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace o f mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Div inely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is tha t there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him. The word "Muslim" means one who sub mits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic backgro und. Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in Eng land and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeri a, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from man y various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So though even though it is t rue that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. Ho wever, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim.

Continuity of the Message Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of God", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reas on, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message rev ealed through the ages to all of God's prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhamm ad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Mu hammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, b ut he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad , which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, God finally fulf illed the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and gr eatest prophets. Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worsh ipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because al l prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to God's will , and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God.

The Oneness of God The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty God - t he God of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in On e God is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfills the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam's concept of God is straightforward, unambiguous and ea sy to understand. Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that God's revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though God cannot be fully comprehended and graspe d by our finite human minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demo nstrably false beliefs about Him. According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating

partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with God, and therefore all intermedi aries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the On eness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God, and that He alone deserves such titles as "Lord" and "Saviour". Some re ligions, even though they believe on "One God", do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. Also, they also give the title of "Lord" to beings t hat are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that "God is One", but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct. In short, in the Islamic concept of God, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - God is God and man is man . Since God is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is t ranscendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam t eaches that God has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weakn esses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine. The Qur'an teaches tha t the signs and proofs of God's wisdom, power and existence are evident in the w orld around us. As such, God calls on man to ponder over the creation in order t o build a better understanding of his Creator. Muslims believe that God is Lovin g, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs o f human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. Some religions and philosophies portray God as just an impersonal "Higher Power" who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of eac h individual human. Other religions tend to give God human qualities and teach t hat He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything. In Islam, however, Almighty God has clarified the truth by let ting mankind know that He is "Compassionate", "Merciful", "Loving" and the "Answ erer of Prayers". But He as also emphasized strongly that "there is nothing like unto Him", and that He is high above time, space and His creation. Finally, it should be mentioned that the God that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one God. It is unfortunate that s ome people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians, and that "Allah" is just the "god of the Arabs". This myth, which h as been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word " Allah" is simply the Arabic name for Almighty God. It is the same word for God w hich is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. However, it should be clari fied that even though Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions - mainly bec ause it is based completely on Divine Revelation from God. For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that God is a Trinity, not only because the Qur'an r ejects it, but also because if this was God's true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other prophets.

The Qur'an The Arabic world "Al-Qur'an" literally means "the recitation". When used in rega rds to Islam, the word Qur'an means God's final message to mankind that was reve aled to the Prophet Muhammad. The Qu'ran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the litera l the word of God - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meanin g in a living language. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; a nd is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'an, in contrast to many other religious books, was a lways thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, t he Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim commun ities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'an was also comple

tely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Pro phet memorized the entire Qur'an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike oth er scriptures, the Qur'an was always in the hands of the common believers, it wa s always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was p erfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Qur'an - it is a universa l scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular trib e or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same me ssage of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'an focuses on teaching human beings the import ance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidanc e which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'an contains the stories of the previo us prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands an d prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up i n doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'anic teachings o ffer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping th e world today. In short, the Qur'an is the book of guidance par excellence.

The Prophet Muhammad Unlike the founders of many religions, the final prophet of Islam is a real docu mented and historical figure. He lived in the full light of history, and the mos t minute details of his life are known. Not only do Muslims have the complete te xt of God's words that were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also preserved h is saying and teachings in what is called "hadeeth" literature. This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad wa s only a man chosen by God, and that he is not divine in any way. In order to av oid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to refe r to him as "God's Messenger and His Slave". The mission of the last and final p rophet of God was to simply teach that "there is nothing divine or worthy of bei ng worshipped except for Almighty God", as well as being a living example of God 's revelation. In simple terms, God sent the revelation to Muhammad, who in turn taught it , preached it, lived it and put it into practice. In this way, Muhamm ad was more that just a "prophet" in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He was a man who lived a humble life i n the service of God, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of li fe by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warr ior and judge. For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to God, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fello w human beings, but more importantly, he showed us how to relate to and worship God, worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him. Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well. The results of hi s mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of th e most backward and remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China. The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of God's prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because the results of his mission have brought more human beings into the pure and proper belief in the One True God than any other prophet.

The Islamic Way of Life In the Noble Qur'an, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciou sness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human ac ts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His D

ivine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The te achings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such quali ties as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Addit ionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sin ful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches t hat faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the me asure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all h uman beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a h ealthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life wit hout fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sin ned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In ligh t of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Noble Qur'an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad , contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Jud gment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be jud ged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging huma n beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be j udged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islam teaches that l ife is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A since re belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral . Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to be come more selfish, materialistic and immoral.

Islam for a Better Life Islam teaches that true happiness can only being obtained by living a life full of God-consciousness and being satisfied with what God has given us. Additionall y, true "freedom" is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view o f many people in the modern world, who consider "freedom" to be the ability to s atisfy all of their desires without inhibition. The clear and comprehensive guid ance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. I n addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and moralit y. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty God, as well as the sense of pu rpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many wo rries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control thought regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and nat ional prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousn ess of Him, a person's true human dignity is realized. ******************************************************************************** ** Is the Religion of Islam True or False? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=201:is-the-rel igion-of-islam-true-or-false&catid=43:an-introduction-to-islam&Itemid=191 Three important questions which allow a person to see if the religion is correct

or incorrect. "If we compare the life of the last prophet before his mission as a prophet to h is life after he began his mission as a prophet, we will conclude that it is bey ond reason to think that the last prophet was a false prophet, who claimed proph et-hood to attain material gains, greatness, glory, or power." If we would like to know whether a religion is true or false, we should not depe nd on our emotions, feelings, or traditions. Rather, we should depend on our rea son and intellect. When God sent the prophets, He supported them with miracles a nd evidences which proved that they were truly prophets send by God and that the religion they came with was true. The true religion can be found by answering three questions: 1. What is truly the literal word of God, revealed by God? 2. Who was truly the last prophet sent by God? 3. What truly is the religion from God?

1. What is truly the literal word of God, revealed by God? The literal word of God, revealed by God was revealed 14 centuries ago. It menti oned facts only recently discovered or proven by scientists. It is beyond reason that anyone fourteen hundred years ago would have known these facts discovered or proven only recently with advanced equipment and sophisticated scientific met hods. Since the literal word of God was revealed by God, no one has been able to produ ce a single chapter like the chapters of the literal word of God in their beauty , eloquence, splendor, wise legislation, true information, true prophecy and oth er perfect attributes. The smallest chapter in the literal word of God is only t en words, yet no one has ever been able to meet a challenge to produce the like of it, then (1400 years ago) or today. The verses in the literal word of God mention future events which have later com e to pass. The literal word of God speaks about the stages of man's embryonic development. How could anyone have possibly known these stages 1400 years ago, when scientist s have only recently discovered these stages using advanced equipment and powerf ul microscopes which did not exist 1400 years ago. The literal word of God describes the structure of mountains that modern geology has only recently confirmed. The literal word of God mentions the origin of the universe. Someone who did not know something about nuclear physics 1400 years ago could not be in a position to find out from his own mind that the earth and the heavens had the same origin . The literal word of God describes the cerebrum. Scientists have only discovered these functions of the prefrontal area in the last 60 years. The literal word of God describes the barrier between the seas and rivers. This information has been discovered only recently, using advanced equipment. The hum an eye cannot see the difference between the two seas that meet nor the division

of water in estuaries. The literal word of God describes the structure of clouds that meteorologists an d scientists have only recently come to know. Their modern ideas on meteorology were dominant 14 centuries ago when the literal word of God was revealed. 2. Who was truly the last prophet sent by God? When God challenged those in doubt, to produce one chapter like the chapters in the literal word of God. Some of the disbelievers who were enemies of the last p rophet tried to meet this challenge in order to prove that this prophet was not a true prophet, but they failed to do so. This failure was despite the fact that the literal word of God was revealed in t heir own language and dialect. In addition, the people at the time of the last p rophet were very eloquent people who used to compose beautiful and excellent poe try, still read and appreciated today. Many miracles were performed by the last prophet by God's permission. These mira cles were witnessed by many people. Before his mission as a prophet, the last prophet had no financial worries. As a successful and reputed merchant, the last prophet drew a satisfactory and comfo rtable income. After his mission as a prophet and because of it, he became worse off materially . Two months would pass without lighting a fire in his house to cook a meal, wit h nothing to sustain him but dates and water. His mattress on which he slept was made of leather and stuffed with the fiber of the date palm tree. He used to milk his own goat, mend his own clothes, repair his own shoes, help with the household work, and visit poor people when they got sick. An envoy of the disbelieving leaders offered him money to be the richest, leader ship to be the leader, and a kingdom to be a king and the last prophet refused i t all. If we compare the life of the last prophet before his mission as a prophet to hi s life after he began his mission as a prophet, we will conclude that it is beyo nd reason to think that the last prophet was a false prophet, who claimed prophe t-hood to attain material gains, greatness, glory, or power. 3. What truly is the religion from God? The true religion from God must contain as it's pillars the literal word of God and the last true prophet. Therefore, we must seek the religion that stands on t hese pillars. The only religion available today that stands on these pillars "Is the fasted gr owing religion in America. It's a guide and a pillar of stability for many of Am erica's people." - Hillary Rodham Clinton. "The followers of this religion are the world's fastest growing group." - USA To day "This religion is the fastest growing religion in the country." - Newsday "This religion is the fastest growing religion in the United States." - New York Times

This phenomenal growth indicates that this religion is truly a religion from God . It is unreasonable to think that so many Americans converted to this religion without careful consideration and deep contemplation before concluding that this religion is true. These Americans come from all classes, races and walks of lif e. They include scientists, professors, philosophers, journalists, song artists, athletic stars, pastors, ministers, members of the armed forces just to name a few. ******************************************************************************** ****** Islam and Science http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=4 7&Itemid=195 Examples of scientific discoveries which have been detailed over 1400 years ago in the Qur'an. From them, the detailing of the foetus development, the barriers between seas, preservation of the body of pharaoh and the ark of Noah. "O mankin d! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then verily! We have created you (i.e. Adam) from dust, then from a Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge i.e. offspring of Adam), then from a clot (a piece of thick coagulate d blood) then from a little lump of flesh, some formed and some unformed (miscar riage), that We may make (it) clear to you (i.e. to show you Our Power and Abili ty to do what We will). And We cause whom We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term, then We bring you out as infants, then (give you growth) that yo u may reach your age of full strength. And among you there is he who dies (young ), and among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age, so th at he knows nothing after having known. And you see the earth barren, but when W e send down water (rain) on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells and puts fort h every lovely kind (of growth). (Qur'an, 22:5) ******************************************************************************** ******************** Who is Your Creator? www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=192:who-is-your-creat or&catid=40:who-is-allah-and-why-worship-him-alone&Itemid=189 An important and thought provoking lecture discussing the reality and nature of the One true Creator. The talk leaves the listener with the knowledge that he/sh e is indebted to his/her Creator and in need of worshipping, seeking help and th anking the One who made us all and furthermore worshipping that sole Creator upo n the way prescribed by His Prophets and Messengers. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/creator.mp3 ******************************************************************************** ************************* The Creation is in Need of Allah http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=186:the-creati on-is-in-need-of-allah&catid=40:who-is-allah-and-why-worship-him-alone&Itemid=18 9 The ultimate dependancy of the created upon the Creator.

"So Certainly, man can have no better guidance than that which comes from the On e Who had perfected everything, and the One who Has no deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes. - Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, renowned Islamic Scholar [d. 751H, approx. 1351CE]" Based upon an article by Imaam Ibn al Qayyim al-Jawziyyyah (A renowned Islamic s cholar from the 8th century [approx 1400's CE] in his book, "Igathat ul-Lahfan m in Massa'id Ash-Shaytaan: The Relief of the Yearning (person) from the Traps of the Devil)" Vol 1, PP 6-42. Man always looks for what benefits him and what protects him from harm. However, to accomplish this, man must be able to realize what is harmful. He must then k now whom he should need, trust, and love so that he can attain what is beneficia l as well as to feel good about his choice. He also must know the proper and goo d approach that would make him achieve this goal. This latter condition requires that man: Know about harm What ways can be used to drive harm away Certainly, man can have no better guidance than that which comes from the One Wh o had perfected everything, and the One who Has no deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes. The One Who is Ever-Living and Who does not die. There can be no One better than the One Who Has no need for anything; the One Who is rich; the Giver; the One who, after all, controls man's soul. Man is so poor to Him. He is Allaah, the True and only God. Man can bring harm to himself if he seeks other than Allaah for help. Allaah is the One Who can help man drive away any harm for it cannot occur without His Will and His Power. Allah sent down His Books and chose His Messengers to guide man to: Know His Lord as He had explained about Himself, and Seek Him Alone while living in accordance with His plan Knowing Allaah's Names and Attributes liberates man from worshiping any form of creation because creation is weak and is in need of The Creator, Allaah. The kno wledge about Allaah leads man to know that he is created to live according to Al laah's way as revealed to the last Messenger Muhammad . This Revelation contains a complete code of life. Everything that is beneficial or harmful is establishe d so that man can center his life around this Revelation. If man commits wrong a nd knows that Allaah is Oft-Forgiving he would turn to Him and to Him alone seek ing His forgiveness: "Know, therefore, that there is no God Who deserves to be worshiped except Allah ; and ask forgiveness for your sins." (Qur'an, 47:19) It is wrong to think or believe that Allaah created other 'gods' besides Him so that man turns to them for help; loves them or fear them, etc. He is the same Go d of all nations. He does not order that people should make of stars, sun, fire, Jesus, Moses, etc. gods besides Him. He (Most Exalted) cannot be 'contradictory '. He has one way (religion) that calls man to surrender his will only to Him. H e warned that if man (even Muhammad would take partners with Him, then his wor k will fail and will be among losers: "And verily, it had hose before you. If ur deeds will be in rship Allaah and be been revealed to you (O Muhammad ) as has been revealed to t you join others in worship with Allah (then) surely (all) yo vain and you will certainly be among the losers. Nay! But wo among grateful." (Qur'an, 39:65-66)

Let us know what Muhammad , the man-Prophet, who knew Allaah best, used to say:

"O Allaah, I seek refuge in You for Your Pleasure and against Your Wrath,and in Your Forgiveness and against Your Punishment and in You from You, I cannot Prais e You as You can Praise Yourself." (Muslim, Abu Dawoud, at-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah) "I have surrendered myself to You, I have directed my face to You, I have entrus ted my affairs to You, I have compelled my back to refuge in You, in want and in fright of You, there is no resort nor survival from You except (in turning) to You. I have faith in Your book (i.e. the Qur'an) which You brought down and in t he Prophet (Muhammad ) you have sent." (Al-Bukhari, Muslim) When we read in the Qur'an that: "Whatever of Mercy (i.e. of good), Allaah may grant to mankind, none can withhol d it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." (Qur'an, 35:2) And when we read that: "If Allaah touches you with hurt, there is none can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His favor which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He will, and He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur'an, 10:117) We should be motivated to return to Him Alone at times of ease and at times of h ardship. And when we read that: "If Allaah helps you none can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there , after Him, that can help you. And in Allaah (alone) let believers put their tr ust." (Qur'an, 3:160) The Qur'an, therefore, leads man to a true liberation from any false attachment. It brings peace to the heart. It helps the believer against hypocrisy and all f orms of dishonesty. Imagine, for example, a believer facing a problem at work. H e sees wrong and faces unlawful practices. He does not fear rejecting what is wr ong. He knows that the job is only a means to gain his sustenance. While he may be unable to correct what is wrong, he knows well that Allaah is the One Who pro vides. If he leaves his job for the sake of Allah, Allah will give him a better one. Allah said: "And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him. He will make a way for hi m to get out (from) every (difficulty), and He will provide him from (sources) h e could never imagine." (Qur'an, 65:2-3) The above texts, necessitates that man must depend upon Allah asking Him Alone f or assistance. It also requires that man must love Allah and worship Him Alone t o gain His pleasure and His help. Is it not true that the people who consider th is life as the "Final Goal" end up worshiping many things in it? You see them so careful about "having it all". They torture themselves: pain, difficulty, const ant worry, keeping their hands in the banks for loan after loan to keep up with the "demands of development". They are under the constant threat of fore-closure . They constantly see poverty in front of their eyes. The Prophet said: "Allaah says: 'Son of Adam: Fill your heart with richness, and end off your our hands fully busy (i.e. in worldly rty.'" (At-Tirmidhi said that it is a time with My poverty. But affairs) and good hadeeth worship and I will fill your if you do not, I would make y I would not end off your pove [acceptable narration])

Our purpose of existence on earth is more meaningful than being slaves to worldl y gains. There can be no meaningful life better than that prescribed by our Crea tor Allah. Every act done according to Allaah's way is an act of worship. Man is the beneficiary and Allah is in no need: "O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allaah, but Allaah is Rich (Free of a ll wants and needs), Worthy of All Praise." (Qur'an, 35:15) ******************************************************************* The Existance of God http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187:the-exista nce-of-god&catid=40:who-is-allah-and-why-worship-him-alone&Itemid=189 Refuting Atheistic claims of the absence of God. "So we should ask ourselves, is it still possible for such a complex being such as ourselves, to be a mere product of chance, or rather, are we products of a su preme and skilful creator, who has shown us that he really is al-Khaaliq? - Invi tation to Islaam Newsletter" The concept of a Supreme Creator of the universe has been something, which the w estern world has been trying to prove or refute now for thousands of years. Howe ver, only in the past 200 years have the creme de la creme of western intellectu als, come to the conclusion that a God/Creator of the universe is and has been a figment of mans imagination. This conclusion was formed as a reaction to the be liefs and practices of Christianity, which was a major force in European life at this time. Beliefs such as that of the Trinity [1] and the divine nature of Jes us Christ, were so complicated to understand - even for the elite of the church - that eventually the idea of a supreme and perfect creator (which Christianity had distorted) was replaced by many new theories which tried to explain how mank ind came about and developed. Many different theories were introduced to the wes tern world, but one common trait, which they all shared, was that there was no S upreme force, which governed the universe. So where does Islam come into all of this? Islam [2] is the one way of life, the one religion which until now has not been challenged successfully by any philos opher, atheist or intellectual. Rather the case has been the exact opposite and there have been thousands, if not millions, of so-called 'atheists' who have rev erted back to Islam. So how does Islam explain the existence of this Supreme Cre ator? The Natural Way Allah says in his final revelation, the Qur'an: "Therefore turn your face steadfastly towards the true faith, away from all that which is false, in accordance with the Pure nature with which Allaah has Create d people. Let there be no altering in the laws of Allaah's Creation. This is sur ely the true religion, but most people do not know it." [Surah Ar-Rum (the Roman s) 30:30] The pure nature which is mentioned in this verse is probably the most convincing proof of a divine creator to any sincere seeker of truth. Which person can deny (atheist or otherwise) that when he/she is in dire trouble, when life is about to be taken away from them, when the pressures are unbearable - that then do the y turn to that force above the skies. How many times are we confronted by a scen ario in which the words: "Please God help me, and I promise that Iwill always pr ay to you and be good." roll off our tongues with such sincerity? Every time som

ething bad happens, words such as these come out of the people's mouths. Yet as soon as the harm is removed the very same people beseeching the help of their cr eator, turn away: "And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allaah. Then, wh en harm touches you, unto him you cry aloud for help. Yet no sooner does he remo ve your ills then some of you set up partners to their lord." [Surah An-Nahl (th e Bee) 16:53-54] This pure nature which every human is born with is known as the Fitrah in the Ar abic language. Every human being, man or woman is born with this natural instinc t to recognise the Creator and turn to Him. This is proven by the hadeeth[5] of the last messenger to mankind Muhammed (peace be upon him) who said: "Every chil d is born upon the pure fitra, it is only his parents that later turn him into a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.[6]"[7] In fact if humans were not influenced by their societal pressures then their bel ief in the Creator would be distinct and clearly visible. But unfortunately this is not the case, and there exists in all non-Muslim societies a clear trend to distort the nature of human beings. One of the ways in which this is done in wes tern societies is through the education system and its institutions. Western edu cation is based around a whole body of secular thought which has no place for a Creator. In science lessons kids are taught that we are the ancestors of monkeys and apes and that this implies that we came about by pure chance.[8] In subject s such as psychology and sociology we are taught that religion is a tool of the privileged few who oppress the downtrodden majority.[9] This form of education h as also unfortunately influenced the Muslims, and we find it very common nowaday s to see the likes of the 'Abdullaah's' and the 'Fatima's' of western society pr oclaiming that they do not believe in God. The Beauty of creation Allah says in the Qur'an: "Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth, in the alternation of nigh t and day, in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of the p eople, in the water which Allaah sends down from the skies reviving with it the dead earth and dispersing over it all kinds of beasts, in the change of the wind s, and in the clouds that run their appointed courses between heaven and earth: In all of this, indeed there are signs for people of understanding." [Surah Al-B aqarah (the Cow) 2:164] SubhaanAllaah! (Exalted be Allah)[ 11] How beautiful and accurate this verse is. Is it not true that when we look at the world around us we see such beauty and craftsmanship. Surely such excellence could not have come about by chance. Every thing in this world and universe runs on a set course and pattern, so how is it possible then, that by pure chance everything in this universe was created with such skill and precision? The wonders of nature are absolutely astounding, the wind, the rain, the hail an d the snow were all products of chance, then why is it that mankind, with all hi s technological know how, cannot even divert the softest of breezes which blows through the trees in summer? The answer is obvious. All these natural elements a re aspects of Allaah's Creation and he alone can control and manipulate them as he wills. In fact the Creation of Allaah is so perfect that even if we try to detect a fau lt in it, then we will not succeed: "Blessed he He to Whom all sovereignty belongs; He has power over all things. He

Who Created death and life that He may test which of you is best in deed. He is the Almighty, the Oft-forgiving. He Who Created the seven heavens one above ano ther. You can see no fault in the Creation of the Bestower of Mercy. Turn up you r eyes: Can you detect a single flaw? Look once more, and yet again: Your sight will in the end grow humbled and weary." [Surah Al-Mulk (the Dominion) 67:1-4] It is not just the seas, the mountains, the rivers and the skies which are a pro of for the existence of our Creator, but also ourselves. Allaah says in the Qur' aan: "On the earth are signs visible to all who have faith with certainty, just as th ere are signs within your ownselves. Will you then not see?" [Surah Adh-Dhariyat (the Winds that Scatter) 51:20-21] The variety of humanity is indeed amazing, black and white, tall and short, fat and thin, good and evil, man and woman etc. etc. How many times have we consider ed the complex makeup of our bodies both physical and mental and found it to be completely beyond belief. It is known that if the intestines of a human being we re taken out of the body, they would be so long that they could cover the entire area of a tennis court! But when we think about these long intestines being inside of us, it astounds an d amazes us. The human brain is thought to be more powerful that any mainframe c omputer on earth, whilst the eye is said to be more complex and structured then any telescope invented by man. The human mind is something which is still undisc overed by psychologists and psychiatrists, and the nature of our dreams and thou ghts is something which these people will probably never unravel. So we should a sk ourselves, is it still possible for such a complex being such as ourselves, t o be a mere product of chance, or rather, are we products of a supreme and skill ful creator, who has shown us that he really is Al-Khaliq? [14] Yet despite our complicated and intricate makeup, our comparison to the Creator is not even possible. Mankind with his level of technology has gained the impres sion that he is the most supreme being in this universe. Yet when we look at exa mples of western society we see that these same humans who claim such superiorit y, cannot even maintain basic standards of hygiene! Washing the body-parts after urinating or excreting has almost become a sin for many people in the west, yet at the same time these people are the very same who claim technological advance ment! Maybe if they believed in a Creator, the basics of life would perchance re turn to them, just as they have returned to the Muslims. The proofs for the existence of a creator are so numerous that it would take us a very long time to go through every single one. So finally we should remember, that the creation of humanity was neither an accident, nor a development from mo nkey to man. Rather it was the creation of Allaah the Most High, the Most Perfec t, who reminds us of the stupidity of those who claim that He did not create us: "Were they created of nothing? or were they perchance, their own creators? or di d they create the heavens and the earth? surely they have no firm belief." [Sura h At-Tur (the Mount) 52:35-36] Footnotes: 1 The belief that the Father (God), the son (Jesus) and the Holy spirit (?) are all parts of one God, despite the fact that they are 3 separate entities!! To th is very day millions of Christians are still unable to understand this belief, w hich is one of the reasons why it has even been thrown out of some versions of t he Bible. 2 The meaning of Islam is to 'sincerely submit your will, to the will of Allaah

(God)'. 3 Surah Ar-Rum 30:30 4 Surah An-Nahl 16:53-54 5 Hadeeth: A report of the Prophet Muhammed's (s.a.w.'s) sayings, actions or app rovals. 6 A Magian is another word for a fire worshipper. 7 Sahih Muslim. 8 This theory was made popular by a man known as Charles Darwin. 9 This is the view of the German scientist Karl Marx. 10 Surah AI-Baqara 2:164. 11 Glory be to Allaah who is free form any imperfection. 12 Surah Tabarak 67:14 13 Surah Az-Dhariyat 51:20-21. 14 The supreme creator: This is one of the many attributes of Allaah. 15 Surah At-Tur 52:35-36. ******************************************************************************** ***** Who is Allah? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=188:who-is-all ah&catid=40:who-is-allah-and-why-worship-him-alone&Itemid=189 Allah is the creator of the heavens and the earth and all else that exists. Lear n about your creator and why you should submit to his will and accept Islam. "It should be clearly understood that what Islam is primarily concerned with is correcting mankind's concept of Almighty God." Some of the biggest misconceptions that many non-Muslims have about Islam have t o do with the word "Allah". Somehow, many people have come to believe that Musli ms worship a different God than Christians and Jews. This is totally false, sinc e "Allah" is simply the Arabic name that "God" has informed us he is called - an d there is only One God. Let there be no doubt - Muslims worship the God of Noah , Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus - peace be upon them all. However, it is certa inly true that Jews, Christians and Muslims all have different concepts of Almig hty God. For example, Muslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs of the Trinity and the Divine Incarnation. This, however, doesn't mean that each of the se three religions worships a different God - because, as we have already said, there is only One True God. Islam teaches, however, that other religions have, i n one way or another, distorted and nullified a pure and proper belief in Almigh ty God by neglecting His true teachings and mixing them with man-made ideas. It is important to note that "Allah" is the same word that Arabic-speaking Chris tians and Jews use for God. If you pick up an Arabic Bible, you will see the wor d "Allah" being used where "God" is used in English. "Allah" is the only word in the Arabic language equivalent to the English word "God" with a capital "G". It should be noted, however, that in Arabic, "Allah" is a somewhat unique word gra mmatically, since it cannot be made plural or given gender (i.e. masculine or fe minine), which goes hand-in-hand with the Islamic concept of God. The root word "god" in English, for instance, can be used in similiar forms, such as "gods", " God" or "goddess", all with different connotations and meanings. Because of this , and also because the Qur'an, which is the holy scripture of Muslims, was revea led in the Arabic language, some Muslims use the word "Allaah" for "God", even w hen they are speaking other languages. In English, the only difference between " god", meaning a false god, and "God", meaning the One True God, is the capital " G". In Arabic alphabet, since it does not have capital letters, the word for God (i.e. Allah) is formed by adding the equivalent to the English word "the" (Al-) to the Arabic word for "god/God" (ilah). So the Arabic word "Allah" literally i

t means "The God" - the "Al-" in Arabic basically serving the same function as t he capital "G" in English. Due to the above mentioned facts, a more accurate tra nslation of the word "Allaah" into English might be "The One -and-Only God" or " The One True God". This brings us to a more important point: It should be clearly understood that w hat Islam is primarily concerned with is correcting mankind's concept of Almight y God. What we are ultimately going to be held accountable at the end of our lif e is not whether we prefer the word "Allah" over the word "God", but what our co ncept of God is. Language is only a side issue. A person can have an incorrect c oncept of God while using the word "Allah", and likewise a person can have a cor rect concept of God while using the word "God". This is because both of these wo rds are equally capable of being misused and being improperly defined. As we've already mentioned, using the word "Allaah" no more insinuates belief in the Unit y of God than the use of the word "God" insinuates belief in the Trinity - or an y other theological opinion. Naturally, when God sends a revelation to mankind t hrough a prophet, He is going to send it in a language that the people who recei ve it can understand and relate to. Almighty God makes this clear in the Qur'an, when He states: "Never did We send a Messenger except (to teach) in the language of his (own) pe ople in order to make (things) clear to them". From the Noble Qur'an, Chapter 14 - "Abraham", Verse 4 As Muslims, we think that it is unfortunate that we have to go into details on s uch seemingly minor issues, but so many falsehoods have been heaped upon our rel igion, that we feel that it is our duty to try to break down the barriers of fal sehood. This isn't always easy, since there is a lot of anti-Islamic literature in existence which tries to make Islam look like something strange and foreign t o Westerners. There are some people out there, who are obviously not on the side of truth, that want to get people to believe that "Allah" is just some Arabian "god", and that Islam is completely "other" - meaning that it has no common root s with the other Abrahamic religions (i.e. Christianity and Judaism). To say tha t Muslims worship a different "God" because they say "Allah" is just as illogica l as saying that French people worship another God because they use the word "Di eu", that Spanish-speaking people worship a different God because they say "Dios " or that the Hebrews worshipped a different God because they sometimes call Him "Yahweh". Certainly, reasoning like this is quite ridiculous! It should also be mentioned, that claiming that any one language uses the only the correct word f or God is tantamount to denying the universality of God's message to mankind, wh ich was to all nations, tribes and people through various prophets who spoke dif ferent languages. It is interesting to note that the Aramaic word "El", which is the word for God in the language that Jesus spoke, is certainly more similar in sound to the word "Allaah" than the English word "God"! Also, the various Hebrew words for God ar e "El" and "Elah", and its plural form is "Elohim". It should also be noted that in translating the Bible into English, the Hebrew word "El" is translated vario usly as "God", "god" and "angel"! This imprecise language allows different trans lators, based on their preconceived notions, to translate the word to fit their own views. Even more interesting is the fact that some Christian missionary organisations p rint English literature intended to teach Christians about Islam in which say su ch things as: "Allah is the god of the Muslims" and that "Muhammad came to get p eople to believe in the god Allah" - implying that "Allah" is some sort of false "god". However, in their literature that they make in Arabic, hoping to lead Ar abic speaking people "to Christ", they use the word "Allah" for God. It seems th

at if they were on the side of truth, they would not have to resort to such inco nsistencies. There are also missionary organisations that exceed this in ignorance by writing pamphlets that call on Muslims to give up their belief in "Allah", and instead worship the "Lord" Jesus, "the Son of God". Besides making it abundantly clear t hat they are outside the community of Pure Monotheism, the people who write such material don't even realise that if they wrote such a pamphlet in Arabic, it wo uld be self-contradictory. This is because in an Arabic Bible Jesus is the "Son of Allah"! If an Arabic-speaking person gave up the worship of "Allah", they wou ld have no God to worship, since "Alaah" is simply the Arabic name and title of the one true God and Creator! Before we conclude, however, we would like to ask our readers to ask themselves what they think the reasons are behind all of these lies? If Islam was just some false religion that didn't make any sense, would so many people, from Western s cholars to Christian missionaries, have to tell so many lies about it? The reaso n is that the Ultimate Truth of Islam stands on solid ground and its unshakeable belief in the Unity of God is above reproach. Due to this, Christians can't cri ticise its doctrines directly, but instead make up things about Islam that aren' t true so that people lose the desire to learn more. If Muslims were able to pre sent Islam in the proper way to people in the West, it surely might make many pe ople reconsider and re-evaluate their own beliefs. It is quite likely that Chris tians, when they find out that there is a universal religion in the world that t eaches people to worship and love God, while also practising Pure Monotheism, wo uld at least feel that they should re-examine the basis for their own beliefs an d doctrines. Islam - The Religion of all the Prophets **************************************************************************** Knowing our Creator by His Names and Attributes http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=193:knowing-ou r-creator-by-his-names-and-attributes&catid=41:tawheed-the-oneness-of-allah&Item id=190 Left on their own, people can conclude that a Creator exists, but cannot come to a completely correct understanding of what Attributes this Creator possesses. T hey will tend to either conjure up an image of the Creator which resembles a cre ated being, or will reduce the Creator to being an imaginary, being-less force. "The one who likens Him to His creation forms a picture of a created being in hi s mind, and this can only be done by likening Him to something which he has witn essed in his lifetime. Hence, he ends up worshipping an idol. Likewise, the one who attempts to flee from this by reducing the greatness of the Creator to the r ealm of philosophical conjecture ends up worshiping nothingness. The one who aff irms all of Allaah s authentic Names and Attributes without likening them in natur e to any created thing frees himself from the extremes of these two poles" Download this Article... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/pdfs/knowingbynamesandattributes.pdf **************************************************************************** What is Tawheed? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=194:what-is-ta wheed&catid=41:tawheed-the-oneness-of-allah&Itemid=190

An explanation of Tawheed (the oneness of Allaah). The difference between Islaam (Submission to the creator of everything that exists) and all other religions w hich are formulated upon polytheism. This admonition was published in an Islamic newsletter, geared towards the Muslim reader. However, its focus on the meaning of 'tawheed' is enlightening. "It is true that tawheed is simply the oneness of Allaah, yet at the same time i t is something which is so vividly explained in our religion, that it is a life long quest for knowledge.- Invitation to Islaam Newsletter" The word Tawheed has by the grace of Allah, become a word which is well known am ongst the Muslims of today. But do we really know the reality of this word? 'What is tawheed?' you ask any Muslim 'Is it the oneness of Allaah?' he would re ply 'What's that?' You ask again. 'I'm not too sure' he would say. This is the k ind of scenario which the Muslims are involved in, and what a sad state of affai rs it is when we cannot even explain the basics of our religion to those around us. Some of us are so dedicated to completing our studies, that we engross ourselves in the textbooks for hours. Others of us love the western culture and lifestyle so much, that we can mimic and relay the words of non-Muslims to such an extent that we even start to quote chapter and verse from the latest Hollywood blockbu ster! Yet upon being asked 'What is Tawheed? ' our tongues fall silent. The cure for ignorance is knowledge, and in order to cure ourselves we have to t ake time-out to learn about this beautiful religion, even if it means reading ar ticles such as this! It is true that tawheed is simply the oneness of Allaah, yet at the same time it is something which is so vividly explained in our religion, that it is a life l ong quest for knowledge. The detailed nature of tawheed is something which unfor tunately, is not known by the majority of the Muslims and this is why you find m any Muslims saying that Christianity and Judaism, like Islam, are monotheistic [ 1] religions. Yet if these Muslims were to truly learn about Islam they would di scover that religions such as Christianity and Judaism are forms of idol-worship , which are far from being similar to Islam.

The Reality of Tawheed Linguistically the word tawheed means unification er Islamically it is in reference to Allaah being is particular to him. The opposite of tawheed is partners with Allaah by giving that which belongs (to make something one). Howev singled out alone, in all that 'Shirk' which is to associate to him, to others. [2]

Traditionally tawheed has been divided into three categories which help us to un derstand why Allaah alone deserves to be singled out for worship. The division o f tawheed into these three categories was something which was not done by the pr ophet of Allaah (saws) or any of his companions. So is this something new that h as been introduced into the religion (bid'ah [3])? The answer to this is no, bec ause we find that the basis of these three categories are to be found in the ver ses of the Qur'aan, hadeeth [authenticated reports] of the prophet (saws) and th e statements of his companions. The necessity for dividing up tawheed into three categories first came about dur ing the early days of Islam. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam spre ad like wildfire and before long the empires of Africa, Byzantium, Persia and In dia all fell under Muslim rule. Many people from these areas became Muslims. How

ever some of these converts to Islam also carried with them some of their old pa gan beliefs. This caused much confusion amongst people, and the simple belief of Islam which the people had accepted, started to become clouded. The task of opp osing these new thoughts and ideas which were becoming prevalent, fell upon the shoulders of the Muslim scholars, who rose to meet this challenge intellectually . Amongst the first people to divide tawheed into three categories was the famou s scholar of Iraq, Abu Haneefah. [4] Before mentioning what these three categories are, it has to be stressed that th e concept of tawheed is in no way similar to the Christian concept of trinity ex cept the fact that they both begin with the letter 'T'!! The division of tawheed does not divide Allaah up into three separate parts (as does trinity), but rath er it helps us to understand as to how our Creator is unique and alone in being singled out for worship and reverence. Unfortunately there are some Christians t oday[5] who seem to forget this fact and continue to spread lies about the meani ng of the tawheed of Allaah.

The Unity of Allah's Lordship This first category of tawheed is known as tawheedur-ruboobiyyah or the unity of Allah's lordship. Through this we understand that it is Allah who alone created the universe which is why one of his divine names is Al-Khaliq (the Creator). T hrough this we know that it is Allaah alone who controls the universe and allows things to happen. This is why Allaah refers to himself in the Qur'aan as AI-Mal ik (The Owner of the universe). Hence when something happens, it only happens wi th the permission of Allaah: "And no calamity strikes except with the permission of Allaah" (Qur'an, 64:1 1) The prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) further elaborated on this concept of A llah's control over the universe by saying: "Be aware that if the whole of manki nd gathered together in order to do something to help you they would only be abl e to do something for you which Allaah had already written for you. Likewise, if the whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to do something to harm you which Allaah had already written to happen to you." [7] We know that another name, which Allah chooses to call himself by, is Ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer). It is Allaah who provides us with our food, shelter, clothing, families and friends. When our crops seem to be dying and there is not a cloud i n sight, it is Allaah who sends down His rain from the skies and sustains us. "Allaah created all things and He is the agent upon which all things depend" (Qur'an, 39:62) From this you would expect that people would turn back to Allah for good or bad fortune. However this is not the case. Today we find people relying on all kinds of good luck charms[9], which they believe will bring them good fortune and war d off evil. Unfortunately, this selfish act of turning away from the favours of Allah has hi t the Muslims hard, we find in many of our societies that the Muslims believe in all kinds of superstitions and good luck charms such as the Tawees (amulet). Th ese practices have absolutely no basis whatsoever in Islam, but rather the proph et (saws) warned us by saying: "Whosoever brings something new into Islam, somet hing which does not belong to it, will have it rejected".[10]

The Unity of Allaah's names and Attributes This category of tawheed is known as Tawheed-al-Asma Wa-Siffaat or the unity of Allaah's name and attributes. Allaah says in the Qur'aan: "Allaah there is no god but be. To Him belong the most beautiful names" (Qur 'an, 20:8) This category of tawheed helps us to understand who our Creator is through His N ames and Attributes. Through His Names and Attributes we know that Allah is far beyond our imagination and bears no resemblance to human beings. In fact it is t his principle which makes Islam unique from all the other religions on the face of this earth. Allaah says in the Qur'aan: "There is nothing like Him and He hears and sees all things" (Qur'an, 42:11) It is in this verse that a distinction is made between those who truly worship t heir Creator and those who worship the creation. The most prominent example of t his is that of the Christians. They claim that Jesus was God, this negates the Tawheed of Allaah's Names and Attributes because it degrades the Creator (whom t he Christians say was Jesus) to the level of human beings and gives Him those we aknesses which humans possess. It is known from the bible that Jesus ate, drank, felt tired, slept and did all the things which normal humans do. So how is it r ight for the Christians to say that god lowered himself to the level of humans? As Muslims we say 'Allaah is above such imperfection' (subhan Allaah) and rather it is us weak humans who need to turn to this perfect lord and Creator.

The Unity of Allaah's Worship This part of tawheed is known as tawheed-al-Ibadah or the unity of Allaah's wors hip. It is this aspect of tawheed which it could be said is the most important. It is through this that we learn how to worship our Creator alone. Allaah is not the kind of god who does not respond or hear your calls. He is not the kind of god who needs some sort of middleman to take our prayers up to Him. Rather Allaa h says: "And your lord said : Call on me and I will answer you" (Qur'an, 40:60) There is nothing to prevent a person from calling directly upon Allah and asking for His help and forgiveness. Unfortunately this is violated by most of mankind who believe that other men can intercede for them and even grant them forgivene ss because of their apparent special status! An example of this is the Catholic religion which holds that the celibate priests are more purer then normal people . This allows for them to then hear the confessions of people's sins and subsequ ently grant them forgiveness. It is this kind of behaviour which takes a person away from the worship of Allah to the worship of man. As Muslims we too should be careful of this, because it seems that many of our b rothers and sisters are indulging in this kind of evil and are not even aware of it. How many Muslims are there today who call upon others besides Allah? We fin d that in countries such as Pakistan and India there are millions of Muslims who go to the graves of 'saints' and ask them for children, wealth, fame and more s adly, forgiveness. What makes this more ironic is the fact that many of these Mu slims pray five times a day, and in every rakat (unit) of their prayer they say the following to their Creator:

"You alone do we worship and You alone do we seek help from" (Qur'an, 1:4) Learning about the tawheed of Allaah is the most important thing for the whole o f humanity. For if we learn how to trust and worship our Creator with sincerity, then -and only then- will we escape from the slavery and captivity of this life . By worshipping Allaah alone does a man achieve true peace and success. This is the reason why when the adhaan[15] is called, the muezzin[16] says "Haya alal F alaa" (come to success). And we ask Allaah to make us amongst those who go to th is success. Ameen Footnotes: 1 2 3 4 Monotheistic - The belief in one God The topic of Shirk will be dealt with in the next issue, InshAllaah Bida - The Arabic word for innovation (something new broughtinto the religion) Abu Haneefah an-Nu'man ibn Thabit was born in Kufah (Iraq) in the year 700 CE. He made his living as a cloth merchant, but devoted his entire life to studying and teaching Islam. His refusal to he appointed the judge of Kufah resulted in him being imprisoned and incurring punishment. He died in the year 767 CE in pri son. His rulings and reasoning became the basis of the Hanafite school of Islami c law. 5 One of these Christians is a man by the name of Joseph Smith. Smith is on a co ntinuous crusade against Islam and is a regular preacher in Hyde Park (London). A debate between Smith and Abdur-Raheem Green, entitled "The Sources of Islam" s hows the fallacy of Smith's lies against Islam. 6 Surah At-Taghaabun 64:11 7 At-Tirmidhee 8 Surah Az-Zurnar 39:62 9 Such as four-leaf clovers, rabbits paws and horseshoes. 10 Bukhari ( Eng. Trans Vol .3 pp 535 No. 861 ) and Muslim Eng Trans Vol. 3 pp 9 31 No 4266 11 Surah Ta-Ha 20:8 12 Surah As-Shura 42:11 13 Surah Ghaffir 40:60 14 Surah Fatiha 1:4 15 The call to prayer 16 The one who calls to prayer ****************************************************************************** Tawheed: Islamic Monotheism - The Oneness of God http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=195:tawheed-is lamic-monotheism-the-oneness-of-god&catid=41:tawheed-the-oneness-of-allah&Itemid =190 Your creator is one without partners, learn about the oneness of the creator. "All the prophets of God including; Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and the t ribes, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them), invited the people to the same thing, to worship The One God without any partners, son or associates. - The Rei gn of Islamic Da'wah (troid.org), Toronto, Canada" In the Name of Allaah, The Beneficent, The Merciful Verily all praise is due to Allaah. We praise Him, we seek His Help and ask for His Forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah from all the evils in our souls and fr om our sinful deeds. Whoever Allaah guides, no one can mislead and whoever Allaa h leaves stray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no one worthy of

worship except Allaah. He is one and has no partners. And I bear witness that Mu hammad is His servant and last Messenger. O believers have fear and consciousnes s of Allaah according to His right and die not except as Muslims. O mankind, hav e fear and consciousness of your Lord, the One who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and from them spread many men and women. And fear Alla ah from whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut off family relations. Surely Allaah is Ever an All-Watcher over you. O believers, have fear and consci ousness of Allaah and always speak the truth. He will direct you to do righteous deeds and will forgive you your sins. Whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a great reward. Allaah, The Exalted said: "Say you (O Muhammad): "This is my way; I invite unto Allaah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allaah Islamic Monotheism) (with sure knowledge), I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allaah i.e. the Oneness of Allaah -Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge. And Glorified and Exalted is Allaah (above all they associate as partners with Him), and I am not of the pol ytheists." (Qur an 12:108) Ibn Abbass (a companion of the Messenger of Allaah narrated: When Allaah s Messeng er sent Mu aadh (his Companion) to Yemen, he said, "You will come upon the people of the book (Christians and Jews), let your first act be to call them to testify that - There is nothing worthy of worship in truth but Allaah." (Al Bukhari #13 89) All the prophets of God including; Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and the tr ibes, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them), invited the people to the same t hing, to worship The One God without any partners, son or associates. In order t o understand why must worship Allaah (The One God,) we must first accept the One ness of the Lordship of Allaah i.e. Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah. This means to believe that there is only One Lord for everything that exist, its Creator, Organizer, Originator, Planner, Sustainer, Authority, Giver of Security, etc. and this is A llaah (One God). The belief in the Lordship of One God cannot be separated by th e act of worshipping the One God i.e. Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah. This means to believ e that none has right to be worshipped (e.g. praying, invoking, asking for help from the unseen, swearing, sacrificing, pilgrimage, fasting, giving charity, etc .) but Allaah. The final aspect of Tawheed is the Oneness of the Names and Attri butes of Allah. This means: 1) We must not name or attribute anything to Allah except with what Allah or His Messenger has named or attributed to Him. 2) None can be named or attributed with the Names or Attributes of Allaah. E.g. The Mighty (Al Azeez). 3) We must confirm all of Allaah s Names and Attributes stated in His book (The Qu r an) or mentioned through His Messenger (Muhammad without changing them or ignori ng them completely or twisting the meanings or giving them resemblance to any of the created things. These three aspects of Tauhid are included in the meaning o f Laa ilaaha illullaah (None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah). It i s essential to follow Allaah s Messenger, Muhammad and it is part of the worship o f the One God (Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah). This is included in the meaning of " I tes tify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah," and this means, "None has the ri ght to be followed after Allaah s Book (The Qur an), but Allah s Messenger," Allah sai d: "And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids y ou, abstain from it". (Qur an 59:7) Laa illaaha illullaah is the foundation of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) and Isla m. It is a complete system of life, through which, all forms of worship (of Alla ah) are realized. That happens when a Muslim submits himself to Allah, and calls upon Him alone, and refers all issues (of right and wrong) to His Law, to the e

xclusion of all other systems of law. "The word ilah (i.e. God), means the One w ho is obeyed and not defied, out of one sense of awe and reference, love, fear, and hope, placing one s trust in Him, asking Him and supplicating Him alone. Whoev er directs any of these matters (which are the rights of Allaah) to a created be ing, has detract from the sincerity of his statement La ilaha illa- Allaah. And he has worshipped that created being to the extent he directed those matters tow ard it". The Prophet said: "Whoever says Laa illaaha illullaah sincerely will enter Parad ise". (Reported by Bazzar and declared authentic by Imaam al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jami) The sincere person is the one who understand, acts according to its requirements , invites others to it, and gives it presidents over all other issues, because i t is the concise formula of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) for which human beings are created. The statement 'Laa illaaha illullaah' will benefit the one who says it if he con firms to its meaning in his life, and doesn t nullify it by associating partners w ith Allaah, such as supplicating to the dead or calling upon the living who are absent. The Prophet said: "Whoever says La illaha illa-Allaah, it will be his salvation someday, no matter befalls him before that." (This was reported by Baihaqi, decl ared authentic by Albaanee in Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah #1932) In conclusion, it is from this understanding of Tawheed [Islamic Monotheism] tha t confirms what Muslims already know i.e. Islam is the only Monotheistic Religio n and way of life in the universe. Therefore, we invite you to this understandin g and we invite you to this way of life. All excerpts of the Qur an are taken from the " Interpretation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur an in the English Language" by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan (Islamic Uni versity, Al Madina Al-Munawwara) and Dr. Muhammad Takiud-deen Al-Hilali (Islamic University, Al Madina Al-Munawwara) which is the most authentic translation of the Qur an (according to the scholars of Islam) available in English today. *********************************************************************** Is there anything in the Qur'an similar to the Ten Commandments of the Bible? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176:is-there-a nything-in-the-quran-similar-to-the-ten-commandments-of-the-bible&catid=45:the-n oble-quran-koran&Itemid=193 The Bible has the famous 'Ten Commadments.' What about Islam? Does it have such a code of conduct which overviews some of the beliefs and rights of the reliigio n? This short article will help to educate the enquiring mind better about the Q ur'an, and perhaps knock down some misplaced notions about the Noble Qur'an and its message. "And follow not (O man, i.e., say not or do not or witness not) that of which yo u have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, the sight and the heart, each of those one will be questioned (by Allaah). And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor penetrate the earth nor can you atta in a stature like the mountains in height." The Ten Commandments? Question: Is there anything in the Quran that is similar to the Ten Commandments

of the Bible? Answer: All praise is due to Allah, thank you for directing this question to us indicating your interest in the Quran. We would be delighted to provide you with an answer. There are verses in the Quran that were called the Ten Commandments or the Ten Ins tructions by some scholars due to containing ten great commandments to mankind by Allah. These verses can be found in two places in the Qur'an. The First: In Surat Al An'aam, Allah says: (Say (O Muhammad): "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from:

[1] Join not anything in worship with Him;

[2] be good and dutiful to your parents;

[3] kill not your children because of poverty" well as them

We provide sustenance for you as

[4] "Come not near Al-Fawahish (great sins and illegal sexual intercourse) wheth er committed openly or secretly;

[5] and kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden except for a just cause (accord ing to Islamic law). This He has commanded you with that you may understand.

[6] And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it until he or she attains the age of full strength;

[7] and give full measure and full weight with justice" , but that which they can bear

We burden not any person

[8] "And whenever you give your word (i.e. judge between men or give evidence), say the truth even if a near relative is concerned,

[9] and fulfill the Covenant of Allah. This He commands you that you may remembe r. [10] And verily, this (i.e. Allah's Commandments mentioned in the above two Vers

es) is my straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they wi ll separate you from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious.)[1]

The second: In Surat Al Israa, it is as if it is an explanation of the previous verses. Allaah said:

[1] And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him.

[2] And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one or both of them attain old a ge in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but add ress them in terms of honor. And lower to them the wing of submission and humili ty through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow upon them Your Mercy as they did bri ng me up when I was young." Your Lord knows best what is in your inner-selves. I f you are righteous, then, verily, He is Ever Most Forgiving to those who turn t o Him again and again in obedience, and in repentance.

[3] And give to the kinsman his due and to the Miskeen (needy) and to the wayfar er. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Veril y, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayateen (devils), and the Shaytaan (De vil-Satan) is ever ungrateful to his Lord. And if you turn away from them (kindr ed, needy, wayfarer and have no wealth at the time they ask you) and are awaitin g a mercy from your Lord for which you hope, then speak to them a soft, kind wor d (i.e. Allaah will provide for me and I shall give you). And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (l ike a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty. Truly, your Lord increases the provision for whom He wills and straitens it (for whom He wills). Verily, He is Ever Well-Acquainted, All-Seer of His slaves.

[4] And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall provide for them as well as you. Surely, killing them is a great sin.

[5] And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Fahishah (i.e. anything t hat transgresses its limits: a great sin), and an evil way (that leads one to He ll unless Allaah forgives him).

[6] And do not kill anyone whose killing Allaah has forbidden except for a just cause. And whoever is killed wrongfully (intentionally with hostility and oppres sion and not by mistake), We have given his heir the authority [to demand Qisaas , Law of Equality in punishment or to forgive, or to take the Diyah (blood money )]. But let him not exceed the limits in the matter of taking life (i.e. he shou ld not kill anyone except the killer). Verily, he is aided (by the Islaamic law) .

[7] And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he at tains the age of full strength.

[8] And fulfill (every) covenant. Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.

[9] And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with a balance that is str aight. That is good (advantageous) and better in the end.

[10] And follow not (O man, i.e., say not or do not or witness not) that of whic h you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, the sight and the heart, each of t hose one will be questioned (by Allaah). And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor penetrate the earth nor can you attain a stature like the mountains in height. All the bad aspects of these (the above mentioned things) are hateful to your Lo rd. This is (part) of Al-Hikmah (wisdom, good manners and high character) which your Lord has revealed to you (O Muhammad). And set not up with Allaah any other ila ah (god) lest you should be thrown into Hell, blameworthy and rejected (from All aah's Mercy)) [2] After you closely examine these verses O questioner, we hope you attain a better perception towards the Qur'an, a lot better than what preceded it, a stance tha t opens a way for you to make fundamental changes in your life, a noble way that enables you to embrace the religion of Islam. We wish you continuous success, a nd may peace be upon those who follow guidance. Source: Al Mawsoo ah #2273 [1] Al An aam: 151-153 [2] Al Israa: 23-39. Note: Numbering of the ded by the translator for easier reading. Commandments or Instructions has been ad

******************************************************************************** **** The Amazing Qur'an http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=205:the-amazin g-quran&catid=45:the-noble-quran-koran&Itemid=193 Allah is the creator of the heavens and the earth and all else that exists. Lear n about your creator and why you should submit to his will and accept Islam. "One thing which surprises non-Muslims who are examining the book very closely i s that the Qur'an does not appear to them to be what they expected. What they as sume is that they have an old book which came fourteen centuries ago from the Ar abian desert; and they expect that the book should look something like that - an old book from the desert. And then they find out that it does not resemble what

they expected at all." Calling the Qur'an amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an ap preciation for the book and who are pleased with it; it has been labelled amazin g by non-Muslims as well. In fact, even people who hate Islam very much have sti ll called it amazing. One thing which surprises non-Muslims who are examining the book very closely is that the Qur'an does not appear to them to be what they expected. What they ass ume is that they have an old book which came fourteen centuries ago from the Ara bian desert; and they expect that the book should look something like that - an old book from the desert. And then they find out that it does not resemble what they expected at all. Additionally, one of the first things that some people ass ume is that because it is an old book which comes from the desert, it should tal k about the desert. Well the Qur'an does talk about the desert - some of its ima gery describes the desert; but it also talks about the sea - what it's like to b e in a storm on the sea. Some years ago, the story came to us in Toronto about a man who was in the merch ant marine and made his living on the sea. A Muslim gave him a translation of th e Qur'an to read. The merchant marine knew nothing about the history of Islam bu t was interested in reading the Qur'an. When he finished reading it, he brought it back to the Muslim and asked, "This Muhammad, was he a sailor?" He was impres sed at how accurately the Qur'aan describes a storm on a sea. When he was told, "No as a matter of fact, Muhammad lived in the desert," that was enough for him. He embraced Islam on the spot. He was so impressed with the Qur'an's descriptio n because he had been in a storm on the sea, and he knew that whoever had writte n that description had also been in a storm on the sea. The description of "a wa ve, over it a wave, over it clouds" was not what someone imagining a storm on a sea to be like would have written; rather, it was written by someone who knew wh at a storm on the sea was like. This is one example of how the Qur'aan is not ti ed to a certain place and time. Certainly, the scientific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago. Many centuries before the onset of Muhammad's Prophethood, there was a well-know n theory of atomism advanced by the Greek philosopher, Democritus. He and the pe ople who came after him assumed that matter consists of tiny, indestructible, in divisible particles called atoms. The Arabs too, used to deal in the same concep t; in fact, the Arabic word dharrah commonly referred to the smallest particle k nown to man. Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matte r (i.e., the atom, which has all of the same properties as its element) can be s plit into its component parts. This is a new idea, a development of the last cen tury; yet, interestingly enough, this information had already been documented in the Qur'aan which states: " He [i.e., Allah] is aware of an atom's weight in the heavens and on the earth and even anything smaller than that..." Undoubtedly, fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, ev en to an Arab. For him, the dharrah was the smallest thing there was. Indeed, th is is proof, that the Qur'an is not outdated. Another example of what one might expect to find in an" old book" that touches u pon the subject of health or medicine is outdated remedies or cures. Various his torical sources state that the Prophet gave some advice about health and hygiene , yet most of these pieces of advice are not contained in the Qur'an. At first g lance, to the non-Muslims this appears to be a negligent omission. They cannot u nderstand why Allah would not "include" such helpful information in the Qur'an. Some Muslims attempt to explain this absence with the following argument: "Altho ugh the Prophet's advice was sound and applicable to the time in which he lived,

Allah, in His infinite wisdom, knew that there would come later medical and sci entific advances which would make the Prophet's advice appear outdated. When lat er discoveries occurred, people might say that such information contradicted tha t which the Prophet had given. Thus, since Allah would never allow any opportuni ty for the non-Muslims to claim that the Qur'an contradicts itself or the teachi ngs of the Prophet, He only included in the Qur'an information and examples whic h could stand the test of time." However, when one examines the true realities of the Qur'an in terms of its exis tence as a divine revelation, the entire matter is quickly brought into its prop er perspective, and the error in such argumentation becomes clear and understand able. It must be understood that the Qur'aan is a divine revelation, and as such , all information in it is of divine origin. Allaah revealed the Qur'an from Him self. It is the words of Allaah, which existed before creation, and thus nothing can be added, subtracted or altered. In essence, the Qur'aan existed and was co mplete before the creation of Prophet Muhammad, so it could not possibly contain any of the Prophet's own words or advice. An inclusion of such information woul d clearly contradict the purpose for which the Qur'aan exists, compromise its au thority and render it inauthentic as a divine revelation. Consequently, there was no "home remedies" in the Qur'an which one could claim t o be outdated; nor does it contain any man's view about what is beneficial to he alth, what food is best to eat, or what will cure this or that disease. In fact, the Qur'an only mentions one item dealing with medical treatment, and it is not in dispute by anyone. It states that in honey there is healing. And certainly, I do not think that there is anyone who will argue with that! If one assumes that the Qur'an is the product of a man's mind, then one would ex pect it to reflect some of what was going on in the mind of the man who "compose d" it. In fact, certain encyclopaedias and various books clam that the Qur'aan w as the product of hallucinations that Muhammad underwent. If these claims are tr ue - if it indeed originated from some psychological problems in Muhammad's mind - then evidence of this would be apparent in the Qur'an. Is there such evidence ? In order to determine whether or not there is, one must first identify what th ings would have been going on in his mind at that time and then search for these thoughts and reflections in the Qur'aan. It is common knowledge that Muhammad had a very difficult life. All of his daugh ters died before him except one, and he had a wife of several years who was dear and important to him, who not only proceeded him in death at a very critical pe riod of his life. As a matter of fact, she must have been quite a woman because when the first revelation came to him, he ran home to her afraid. Certainly, eve n today one would have a hard time trying to find an Arab who would tell you, "I was so afraid that I ran home to my wife." They just aren't that way. Yet Muham mad felt comfortable enough with his wife to be able to do that. That's how infl uential and strong woman she was. Although these examples are only a few of the subjects that would have been on Muhammad's mind, they are sufficient in intensi ty to prove my point. The Qur'aan does not mention any of these things - not the death of his children, not the death of his beloved companion and wife, not his fear of the initial revelations, which he so beautifully shared with his wife nothing; yet, these topics must have hurt him, bothered him, and caused him pai n and grief during periods of his psychological reflections, then these subjects , as well as others, would be prevalent or at least mentioned throughout. A truly scientific approach to the Qur'an is possible because the Qur'an offers something that is not offered by other religious scriptures, in particular, and other religions, in general. It is what scientists demand. Today there are many people who have ideas and theories about how the universe works. These people ar e all over the place, but the scientific community does not even bother to liste n to them. This is because within the last century the scientific community has

demanded a test of falsification. They say, "If you have theory, do not bother u s with it unless you bring with that theory a way for us to prove whether you ar e wrong or not." Such a test was exactly why the scientific community listened to Einstein toward s the beginning of the century. He came with a new theory and said, "I believe t he universe works like this; and here are three ways to prove whether I am wrong !". So the scientific community subjected his theory to the tests, and within si x years it passed all three. Of course, this does not prove that he was great, b ut it proves that he deserved to be listened to because he said, "This is my ide a; and if you want to try to prove me wrong, do this or try that." This is exact ly what the Qur'an has - falsification tests. Some are old (in that they have al ready been proven true), and some still exist today. Basically it states, "If th is book is not what it claims to be, then all you have to do is this or this or this to prove that it is false." Of course, in 1400 years no one has been able t o do "This or this or this, " and thus it is still considered true and authentic . I suggest to you that the next time you get into dispute with someone about Is lam and he claims that he has the truth and that you are in darkness, you leave all other arguments at first and make this suggestion. Ask him, "Is there any fa lsification test in your religion? Is there anything in your religion that would prove you are wrong if I could prove to you that it exists - anything?" Well, I can promise right now that people will not have anything - no test, no proof, n othing! This is because they do not carry around the idea that they should not o nly present what they believe but should also offer others a chance to prove the y're wrong. However, Islam does that. A perfect example of how Islam provides ma n with a chance to verify it authenticity and "prove it wrong" occurs in the 4th chapter. And quiet honestly, I was surprised when I first discovered this chall enge. It states: "Do they not consider the Qur'an? Had it been from any other than Allah, they wo uld surely have found therein much discrepancy." This is a clear challenge to the non-Muslim basically, it invites him to find a mistake. As a matter of fact, the seriousness and difficulty of the challenge as ide, the actual presentation of such a challenge in the first place is not even in human nature and is inconsistent with man's personality. One doesn't take an exam in school after finishing the exam, write a note to the instructor at the e nd saying, "This exam is perfect. There are no mistakes in it. Find one if you c an!". One just doesn't do that. The teacher would not sleep until he found a mis take! And yet this is the way the Qur'an approaches people. Another interesting attitude that exists in the Qur'an repeatedly deals with its advice to the reade r. The Qur'an informs that reader about different facts and then gives the advic e: "If you want to know more about this or that, or if you doubt what is said, t hen you should ask those who have knowledge." This too is a surprising attitude. It is not usual to have a book that comes from someone without training in geog raphy, botany, biology, etc., who discusses these subjects and then advises the reader to ask men of knowledge if he doubts anything. Yet in every age there have been Muslims who have followed the advice of the Qur 'an and made surprising discoveries. If one looks to the works of Muslim scienti sts if many centuries ago, one will find them full of quotations from the Qur'an . These works state that they did research in such a place, looking for somethin g. And they affirm that the reason they looked in such and such a place was that the Qur'an pointed them in that direction. For example, the Qur'an mentions man 's origin and then tells the reader, "Research it!" It gives the reader a hint w here to look and then states that one should find out more about it. This is the kind of thing that Muslims today largely seem to overlook - but not always, as illustrated in the following example. A few years ago, a group of men in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia collected all if the verses in the Qur'an which discuss embryology - the growth of the human being in the womb. They said, "Here is what the Qur'a

n says. Is it the truth?" In essence, they took the advice of the Qur'an: "Ask t he men who know." They chose, as it happened, a non-Muslim who is a professor of embryology at the University of Toronto. His name is Keith Moore, and he is the author of textbooks on embryology - a world expert on the subject. They invited him to Riyadh and said, "This is what the Qur'an says about your subject. Is it true? What can you tell us?" While he was in Riyadh, they gave him all of the h elp that he needed in translation and all of the cooperation for which he asked. And he was so surprised at what he found that he changed his textbooks. In fact , in the second edition of one of his books, called Before we are born... in the second edition about the history of embryology, he included some material that was not in the first edition because of what he found in the Qur'aan. Truly this illustrates that the Qur'an was ahead of its time and that those who believe in the Qur'aan know what other people do not know. I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Keith Moore for a television presentation , and we talked a great deal about this - it was illustrated by slides and so on . He mentioned that some of the things that the Qur'an states about the growth o f the human being were not known until thirty years ago. In fact, he said that o ne item in particular - the Qur'aan's description of the human being as a "leech -like clot" ('alaqah) at one stage - was new to him; but when he checked on it, he found that it was true, and so he added it to his book. He said, "I never tho ught of that before," and he went to the zoology department and asked for a pict ure of a leech. When he found that it looked just like the human embryo, he deci ded to include both pictures in one of his textbooks. Dr. Moore also wrote a boo k on clinical embryology, and when he presented this information in Toronto, it caused quite a stir throughout Canada. It was on the front pages of some of the newspapers across Canada, and some of the headlines were quite funny. For instan ce, one headline read: "SURPRISING THING FOUND IN ANCIENT BOOK!"! It seems obvio us from this example that people do not clearly understand what it is all about. As a matter of fact, one newspaper reporter asked Professor Moore, "Don't you t hink that maybe the Arabs might have known about these things - the description of the embryo, its appearance and how it changes and grows? Maybe there were not scientists, but maybe they did something crude dissections on their own - carve d up people and examined these things." The professor immediately pointed out to him that he [i.e., the reporter] had mi ssed a very important point - all of the slides of the embryo that had been show n and had been projected in the film had come from pictures taken through a micr oscope. He said, "It does not matter if someone had tried to discover embryology fourteen centuries ago, they could not have seen it!". All of the descriptions in the Qur'aan of the appearance of the embryo are of the item when it is still too small to see with the eye; therefore, one needs a microscope to see it. Sinc e such a device had only been around for little more than two hundred years, Dr. Moore taunted, "Maybe fourteen centuries ago someone secretly had a microscope and did this research, making no mistakes anywhere. Then he somehow taught Muham mad and convinced him to put this information in his book. Then he destroyed his equipment and kept it a secret forever. Do you believe that? You really should not unless you bring some proof because it is such a ridiculous theory." In fact , when he was asked "How do you explain this information in the Qur'aan?" Dr. Mo ore's reply was, "It could only have been divinely revealed."! Although the aforementioned example of man researching information contained in the Qur'an deals with a non-Muslim, it is still valid because he is one of those who is knowledgeable in the subject being researched. Had some layman claimed t hat what the Qur'an says about embryology is true, then one would not necessaril y have to accept his word. However, because of the high position, respect, and e steem man gives scholars, one naturally assumes that if they research a subject and arrive at a conclusion based on that research, then the conclusion is valid. One of Professor Moore's colleagues, Marshall Johnson, deals extensively with g eology at the University of Toronto.

He became very interested in the fact that the Qur'an's statements about embryol ogy are accurate, and so he asked Muslims to collect everything contained in the Qur'an which deals with his specialty. Again people were very surprised at the findings. Since there are a vast number subjects discussed in the Qur'aan, it wo uld certainly require a large amount of time to exhaust each subject. It suffice s for the purpose of this discussion to state that the Qur'an makes very clear a nd concise statements about various subjects while simultaneously advising the r eader to verify the authenticity of these statements with research by scholars i n those subjects. And as illustrated by the Qur'aan has clearly emerged authenti c. Undoubtedly, there is an attitude in the Qur'an which is not found anywhere e lse. It is interesting how when the Qur'an provides information, it often tells the reader, "You did not know this before." Indeed, there is no scripture that e xists which makes that claim. All of the other ancient writings and scriptures t hat people have, do give a lot of information, but they always state where the i nformation came from. For example, when the Bible discusses ancient history, it states that this king lived here, this one fought in a certain battle, another one had so may sons, et c. Yet it always stipulates that if you want more information, then you should r ead the book of so and so because that is where the information came from. In co ntrast to this concept, the Qur'an provides the reader with information and stat es that this information is something new. Of course, there always exists the ad vice to research the information provided and verify its authenticity. It is int eresting that such a concept was never challenged by non-Muslims fourteen centur ies ago. Indeed, the Makkans who hated the Muslims, and time and time again they heard such revelations claiming to bring new information; yet, they never spoke up and said, "This is not new. We know where Muhammad got this information. We learned this at school." They could never challenge its authenticity because it really was new! In concur rence with the advice given in the Qur'an to research information (even if it is new), when 'Umar was caliph, he chose a group of men and sent them to find the wall of Dhul-Qarnayn. Before the Qur'aanic revelation, the Arabs had never heard of such a wall, but because the Qur'an described it, they were able to discover it. As a matter of fact, it is now located in what is called Durbend in the Sov iet Union. It must be stressed here that the Qur'an is accurate about many, many things, but accuracy does not necessarily mean that a book is a divine revelati on. In fact, accuracy is only one of the criteria for divine revelations. For instance, the telephone book is accurate, but that does not mean that it is divinely revealed. The real problem lies in that one must establish some proof o f the source the Qur'an's information. The emphasis is on the reader. One cannot simply deny the Qur'an's authenticity without sufficient proof. If, indeed, one finds a mistake, then he has the right to disqualify it. This is exactly what t he Qur'an encourages. Once a man came up to me after a lecture I delivered in So uth Africa. He was very angry about what I had said, and so he claimed, "I am go ing to go home tonight and find a mistake in the Qur'an." Of course, I said, "Co ngratulations. That is the most intelligent thing that you have said." Certainly , this is the approach Muslims need to take with those who doubt the Qur'an's au thenticity, because the Qur'an itself offers the same challenge. An inevitably, after accepting it's challenge and discovering that it is true, these people wil l come to believe it because they could not disqualify it. In essence, the Qur'a n earns their respect because they themselves have had to verify its authenticit y. An essential fact that cannot be reiterated enough concerning the authenticit y of the Qur'an is that one's inability to explain a phenomenon himself does not require his acceptance of the phenomenon's existence or another person's explan ation of it. Specifically, just because one cannot explain something does not mean that one h

as to accept someone else's explanation. However, the person's refusal of other explanations reverts the burden of proof back on himself to find a feasible answ er. This general theory applies to numerous concepts in life, but fits most wond erfully with the Qur'anic challenge, for it creates a difficulty for one who say s, "I do not believe it." At the onset of refusal one immediately has an obligat ion to find an explanation himself if he feels others' answers are inadequate. I n fact, in one particular Qur'anic verse which I have always seen mistranslated into English, Allah mentions a man who heard the truth explained to him. It stat es that he was derelict in his duty because after he heard the information, he l eft without checking the verity of what he had heard. In other words, one is gui lty if he hears something and does not research it and check to see whether it i s true. One is supposed to process all information and decide what is garbage to be thrown out and what is worthwhile information to be kept and benefited from at a later date. One cannot just let it rattle around in his head. It must be pu t in the proper categories and approached from that point of view. For example, if the information is still speculatory, then one must discern whether it's clos er to being true or false. But if all of the facts have been presented, then one must decide absolutely between these two options. And even if one is not positi ve about the authenticity of the information, he is still required to process al l of the information and make the admission that he just does not know for sure. Although this last point appears to be futile, in actuality, it is beneficial t o the arrival at a positive conclusion at a later time in that it forces the per son to at least recognize, research and review the facts. This familiarity with the information will give the person "the edge" when future discoveries are made and additional information is presented. The important thing is that one deals with the facts and does not simply discard them out of empathy and disinterest. The real certainty about the truthfulness of the Qur'an is evident in the confid ence which is prevalent throughout it; and this confidence comes from a differen t approach - "Exhausting the Alternatives." In essence, the Qur'an states, "This book is a divine revelation; if you do not believe that, then what is it?" In o ther words, the reader is challenged to come up with some other explanation. Her e is a book made of paper and ink. Where did it come from? It says it is a divin e revelation; if it is not, then what is its source? The interesting fact is tha t no one has with an explanation that works. In fact, all alternatives have bee exhausted. As has been well established by non-Muslims, these alternatives basic ally are reduces to two mutually exclusive schools of thought, insisting on one or the other. On one hand, there exists a large group of people who have researc hed the Qur'an for hundreds of years and who claim, "One thing we know for sure - that man, Muhammad, thought he was a prophet. He was crazy!" They are convince d that Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) was fooled som ehow. Then on the other hand, there is another group which alleges, "Because of this evidence, one thing we know for sure is that that man, Muhammad, was a liar !" Ironically, these two groups never seem to get together without contradicting . In fact, many references on Islam usually claim both theories. They start out by saying that Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) was cr azy and then end by saying that he was a liar. They never seem to realize that h e could not have been both! For example, if one is deluded and really thinks that he is a prophet, then he d oes not sit up late at night planning, "How will I fool the people tomorrow so t hat they think I am a prophet?" He truly believes that he is a prophet, and he t rusts that the answer will be given to him by revelation. As a matter of fact, a great deal of the Qur'an came in answer to questions. Someone would ask Muhamma d (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) a question, and the revelati on would come with the answer to it. Certainly, if one is crazy and believes tha t an angel put words in his ear, then when someone asks him a question, he think s that the angel will give him the answer. Because he is crazy, he really thinks that. He does not tell someone to wait a short while and then run to his friend s and ask them, "Does anyone know the answer?" This type of behavior is characte

ristic of one who does not believe that he is a prophet. What the non-Muslims re fuse to accept is that you cannot have it both ways. One can be deluded, or he c an be a liar. He can be either one or neither, but he certainly cannot be both! The emphasis is on the fact that they are unquestionably mutually exclusive pers onal traits. The following scenario is a good example of the kind of circle that non-Muslims go around in constantly. If you ask one of them, "What is the origin of the Qur' an?" He tells you that it originated from the mind of a man who was crazy. Then you ask him, "If it came from his head, then where did he get the information co ntained in it? Certainly the Qur'an mentions many things with which the Arabs we re not familiar." So in order to explain the fact which you bring him, he change s his position and says, "Well, maybe he was not crazy. Maybe some foreigner bro ught him the information. So he lied and told people that he was a prophet." At this point then you have to ask him, "If Muhammad was a liar, then where did he get his confidence? Why did he behave as though he really thought he was a proph et?" Finally backed into a corner, like a cat he quickly lashes out with the fir st response that comes to his mind. Forgetting that he has already exhausted tha t possibility, he claims, "Well, maybe he wasn't a liar. He was probably crazy a nd really thought that he was a prophet." And thus he begins the futile circle a gain. As has already been mentioned, there is much information contained in the Qur'an whose source cannot be attributed to anyone other than Allah. For example, who told Muhammad about the wall of Dhul-Qarnayn - a place hundreds of miles to the north? Who told him about embryology? When people assemble facts such as these, if they are not willing to attribute their existence to a divine source, they au tomatically resort to the assumption someone brought Muhammad the information an d that he used it to fool the people. However, this theory can easily be disprov ed with one simple question: "If Muhammad was a liar, where did he get his confi dence? Why did he tell some people out right to their face what others could nev er say?" Such confidence depends completely upon being convinced that one has a true divine revelation. For example, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam peace be upon him) had an uncle by the name of Abu Lahab. This man hated Islam t o such an extent that he used to follow the Prophet around in order to discredit him. If Abu Lahab saw the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) speaking to a stranger, he would wait until they parted and then would go t o the stranger and ask him, "What did he tell you? Did he say, 'Black.'? Well, i t's white. Did he say, 'Morning.'? Well, it's night." He faithfully said the exa ct opposite of whatever he heard Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace b e upon him) and the Muslims say. However, about ten years before Abu Lahab died, a little chapter in the Qur'an was revealed to him. It distinctly stated that h e would go to the Fire (i.e., Hell). In other words, it affirmed that he would n ever become a Muslim and would therefore be condemned forever. For ten years all Abu Lahab had to do was say, "I heard that it has been revealed to Muhammad tha t I will never change - that I will never become a Muslim and will enter the Hel lfire. Well I want to become a Muslim now. How do you like that? What do you thi nk of your divine revelation now?" But he never did that. And yet, that is exact ly the kind of behavior one would have expected from him since he always sought to contradict Islam. In essence, Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace b e upon him) said, "You hate me and you want to finish me? Here, say these words, and I am finished. Come on, say them!" But Abu Lahab never said them. Ten years ! And in all that time he never accepted Islam or even became sympathetic to the Islamic cause. How could Muhammad possibly have known for sure that Abu Lahab w ould fulfill the Qur'anic revelation if he (i.e., Muhammad) was not truly the me ssenger of Allaah? How could he possibly have been so confident as to give someo ne 10 years to discredit his claim of Prophethood? The only answer is that he wa s Allaah's messenger; for in order to put forth suck a risky challenge, one has to be entirely convinced that he has a divine revelation.

Another example of the confidence which Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam peace be upon him) had in his own Prophethood and consequently in the divine pro tection of himself and his message is when he left Makkah and hid in a cave with Abu Bakr during their emigration to Madeenah. The two clearly saw people coming to kill them, and Abu Bakr was afraid. Certainly, if Muhammad (sallallaahu alayh i wa sallam) was a liar, a forger and one who was trying to fool the people into believing that he was a prophet, one would have expected him to say in such a c ircumstance to his friend, "Hey, Abu Bakr, see if you can find a back way out of this cave." Or "Squat down in that corner over there and keep quiet." Yet, in f act, what he said to Abu Bakr clearly illustrated his confidence. He told him, " Relax! Allaah is with us, and Allaah will save us!" Now, if one knows that he is fooling the people, where does one get this kind of attitude? In fact, such a frame of mind is not characteristic of a liar or a fo rger at all. So, as has been previously mentioned, the non-Muslims go around and around in a circle, searching for a way out - some way to explain the findings in the Qur'an without attributing them to their proper source. On one hand, they tell you on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, "The man was a liar," and on the othe r hand, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday they tell you, "He was crazy." What th ey refuse to accept is that one cannot have it both ways; yet they refuse to acc ept is that one cannot have it both ways; yet they need both excuses to explain the information in the Qur'an. About seven years ago, I had a minister over to my home. In the particular room which we were sitting there was a Qur'an on the table, face down, and so the min ister was not aware of which book it was. In the midst of a discussion, I pointe d to the Qur'an and said, "I have confidence in that book." Looking at the Qur'a n but not knowing which book it was , he replied, "Well, I tell you, if that boo k is not the Bible, it was written by a man!" In response to his statement, I sa id, "Let me tell you something about what is in that book." And in just three to four minutes I related to him a few things contained in the Qur'an. After just those three or four minutes, he completely changed his position and declared, "Y ou are right. A man did not write that book. The Devil wrote it!" Indeed, posses sing such an attitude is very unfortunate - for many reasons. For one thing, it is a very quick and cheap excuse. It is an instant exit out of an uncomfortable situation. As a matter of fact, there is a famous story in the Bible that mentio ns how one day some of the Jews were witnesses when Jesus raised a man from the dead. The man had been dead for four days, and when Jesus arrived, he simply sai d, "Get up!" and the man arose and walked away. At such a sight, some of the Jew s who were watching said disbelievingly, "This is the Devil. The Devil helped hi m!" Now this story is rehearsed often in churches all over the world, and people cry big tears over it, saying, "Oh, if I had been there, I would not have been as stupid as the Jews!" Yet ironically, these people do exactly what the Jews di d when in just three minutes you show them only a small part of the Qur'an and a ll they can say is, "Oh, the Devil did it. The devil wrote that book!". Because they are truly backed into a corner and have no other viable answer, they resort to the quickest and cheapest excuse available. Another Example of people's use of this weak stance can be found in the Makkans' explanation of the source of Mu hammed's message. They used to say, "The devils bring Muhammad that Qur'an!" But just as with every other suggestion made, the Qur'an gives the answer. One vers e in particular states: "And they say, 'Surely he is possessed [by jinn], 'but it [i.e., the Qur'an] is not except a reminder to the worlds." Thus it gives an argument in reply to such a theory. In fact, there are many arg uments in the Qur'an in reply to the suggestion that devils brought Muhammad (sa llallaahu alayhi wa sallam) his message. For example, in the 26th chapter Allaah clearly affirms:

"No evil ones have brought it [i.e., this revelation] down. It would neither be fitting for them, nor would they be able. Indeed they have been removed far from hearing." And in another place in the Qur'an, Allaah instructs us: "So when you recite the Qur'an seek refuge in Allaah from Shaytaan, the rejected ." Now is this how Satan writes a book? He tells one, "Before you read my book, ask God to save you from me."? This is very, very tricky. Indeed, a man could write something like this, but would Satan do this? Many people clearly illustrate th at they cannot come to one conclusion on this subject. On one hand, they claim t hat Satan would not do such a thing and that even if he could, God would not all ow him to; yet, on the other hand, they also believe that Satan is only that muc h less than God. In essence they allege that the Devil can probably do whatever God can do. And as a result, when they look at the Qur'an, even as surprised as they are as to how amazing it is, they still insist, "The Devil did this!" Thank s be to Allaah, Muslims do not have that attitude. Although Satan may have some abilities, they are a long way separated from the abilities of Allaah. And no Mu slim is a Muslim unless he believes that. It is common knowledge even among nonMuslims that the Devil can easily make mistakes, and it would be expected that h e would contradict himself if and when he wrote a book. For indeed, the Qur'an s tates: "Do they not consider the Qur'an? Had it been from any other than Allaah, they w ould surely have found therein much discrepancy." In conjunction with the excuses that non-Muslims advance in futile attempts to j ustify unexplainable verses in the Qur'an, there is another attack often rendere d which seems to be a combination of the theories that Muhammad (sallallaahu alay hi wa sallam - peace be upon him) was crazy and a liar. Basically, these people propose that Muhammad was insane, and as a result of his delusion, he lied to an d misled people. There is a name for this in psychology. It is referred to as my thomania. It means simply that one tells lies and then believes them. This is wh at the non-Muslims say Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him ) suffered from. But the only problem with this proposal is that one suffering f rom mythomania absolutely cannot deal with facts, and yet the whole Qur'an is ba sed entirely upon facts. Everything contained in it can be researched and establ ished as true. Since facts are such a problem for a mythomaniac, when a psycholo gist tries to treat one suffering from that condition, he continually confronts him with facts. For example, if one is mentally ill and claims, "I am the king o f England," a psychologist does not say to him "No you aren't. You are crazy!" H e just does not do that. Rather, he confronts him with facts and says, "O.K., yo u say you are the king of England. So tell me where the queen is today. And wher e is your prime minister? And where are your guards?" Now, when the man has trou ble trying to deal with these questions, he tries to make excuses, saying Uh... the queen... she has gone to her mother's. Uh... the prime minister... well he d ied." And eventually he is cured because he cannot deal with the facts. If the p sychologist continues confronting him with enough facts, finally he faces the re ality and says, "I guess I am not the king of England." The Qur'an approaches ev eryone who reads it in very much the same way a psychologist treats his mythoman ia patient. There is a verse in the Qur'an which states: "Oh mankind, there has come to you an admonition [i.e., the Qur'an] from your Lo rd and a healing for what is in the hearts - and guidance and mercy for the beli evers." At first glance, this statement appears vague, but the meaning of this verse is clear when one views it in light of the aforementioned example. Basically, one i

s healed of his delusions by reading the Qur'an. In essence, it is therapy. It l iterally cures deluded people by confronting them with facts. A prevalent attitu de throughout the Qur'an is one which says, "Oh mankind, you say such and such a bout this; but what about such and such? How can you say this when you know that ?" And so forth. It forces one to consider what is relevant and what matters whi le simultaneously healing one of the delusions that the facts presented to manki nd by Allaah can easily be explained away with flimsy theories and excuses. It i s this very sort of thing - confronting people with facts - that had captured th e attention of many non-Muslims. In fact, there exists a very interesting refere nce concerning this subject in the New Catholic Encyclopedia. In an article under the subject of the Qur'an, the Catholic Church states, "Over the centuries, many theories have been offered as to the origin of the Qur'an.. . Today no sensible man accepts any of these theories."!! Now here is the age-ol d Catholic Church, which has been around for so many centuries, denying these fu tile attempts to explain away the Qur'an. Indeed, the Qur'an is a problem for th e Catholic Church. It states that it is revelation, so they study it. Certainly, they would love to find proof that it is not, but they cannot. They cannot find a viable explanation. But at least they are honest in their research and do not accept the first unsubstantiated interpretation which comes along. The Church s tates that in fourteen centuries it has not yet been presented a sensible explan ation. At least it admits that the Qur'an is not an easy subject to dismiss. Cer tainly, other people are much less honest. They quickly say, "Oh, the Qur'an cam e from here. The Qur'an came from there." And they do not even examine the credi bility of what they are stating most of the time. Of course, such a statement by the Catholic Church leaves the everyday Christian in some difficulty. It just m ay be that he has his own ideas as to the origin of the Qur'an, but as a single member of the Church, he cannot really act upon his own theory. Such an action w ould be contrary to the obedience, allegiance and loyalty which the Church deman ds. By virtue of his membership, he must accept what the Catholic Church declare s without question and establish its teachings as part of his everyday routine. So, in essence, if the Catholic Church as a whole is saying, "Do not listen to t hese unconfirmed reports about the Qur'an," then what can be said about the Isla mic point of view? Even non-Muslims are admitting that there is something to the Qur'an - something that has to be acknowledged - then why are people so stubbor n and defensive and hostile when Muslims advance the very same theory? This is c ertainly something for those with a mind to contemplate - something to ponder f or those of understanding! Recently, the leading intellectual in the Catholic Church - a man by the name of Hans - studied the Qur'an and gave his opinion of what he had read. This man ha s been around for some time, and he is highly respected in the Catholic Church, and after careful scrutiny, he reported his findings, concluding, "God has spoke n to man through the man, Muhammad." Again this is a conclusion arrived at by a non-Muslim source - the very leading intellectual of the Catholic Church himself ! I do not think that the Pope agrees with him, but nonetheless, the opinion of such a noted, repute public figure must carry some weight in defense of the Musl im position. He must be applauded for facing the reality that the Qur'an is not something which can be easily pushed aside and that, in fact God is the source o f these words. As is evident from the aforementioned information, all of the pos sibilities have been exhausted, so the chance of finding another possibility of dismissing the Qur'an is nonexistent. For if the book is not a revelation, then it is a deception; and if it is a deception, one must ask, "What is its origin" And where does it deceive us?" Indeed, the true answers to these questions shed light on the Qur'an's authenticity and silence the bitter unsubstantiated claims of the unbelievers. Certainly, if people are going to insist that the Qur'an is a deception, then they must bring forth evidence to support such a claim. The b urden of proof is on them, not us! One is never supposed to advance a theory wit hout sufficient corroborating facts; so I say to them, "Show me one deception! S how me where the Qur'an deceives me! Show me, otherwise, don't say that it is a

deception!" An interesting characteristic of the Qur'an is how it deals with sur prising phenomena which relate not only to the past but to modern times as well. In essence, the Qur'an is not an old problem. It is still a problem even today - a problem to the non-Muslims that is. For everyday, every week, every year bri ngs more and more evidence that the Qur'an is a force to be contended with - tha t its authenticity is no longer to be challenged! For example, one verse in the Qur'an reads; "Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then We clove them asunder, and made from water every living thing? Will they n ot then believe?" Ironically, this very information is exactly what they awarded the 1973 Noble Pr ize for - to a couple of unbelievers. The Qur'an reveals the origin of the unive rse - how it began from one piece - and mankind continues to verify this revelat ion, even up to now. Additionally, the fact that all life originated from water would not have been an easy thing to convince people of fourteen centuries ago. Indeed, if 1400 years ago you had stood in the desert and told someone, "All of this, you see (pointing to yourself), is made up of mostly water," no one would have believed you. Proof of that was not available until the invention of the mi croscope. They had to wait to find out that cytoplasm, the basic substance of th e cell, is made-up of 80% water. Nonetheless, the evidence did come, and once ag ain the Qur'an stood the test of time. In reference to the falsification tests m entioned earlier, it is interesting to note that they, too, relate to both the p ast and the present. Some of them were used as illustrations of Allaah's omnipot ence and knowledge, while others continue to stand as challenges to the present day. An example of the former is the statement made in the Qur'an about Abu Laha b. It clearly illustrates that Allaah, the Knower of the Unseen, knew that Abu L ahab would never change his ways and accept Islam. Thus Allaah dictated that he would be condemned to the Hellfire forever. Such a chapter was both an illustrat ion of Allaah's divine wisdom and a warning to those who were like Abu Lahab. An interesting example of the latter type of falsification tests contained in th e Qur'an is the verse which mentions the relationship between the Muslims and th e Jews. The verse is careful not to narrow its scope to the relationship between individual members of each religion, but rather, it summarizes the relationship between the two groups of people as a whole. In essence, the Qur'an states that the Christians will always treat the Muslims better than the Jews will treat th e Muslims. Indeed, the full impact of such a statement can only be felt after ca reful consideration of the real meaning of such a verse. It is true that many Ch ristians and many Jews have become Muslims, but as a whole, the Jewish community is to be viewed as an avid enemy of Islam. Additionally, very few people realiz e what such an open declaration in the Qur'an invites. In essence, it is an easy chance for the Jews to prove that the Qur'an is false - that it is not a divine revelation. All they have to do is organize themselves, treat the Muslims nicel y for a few years and then say, "Now what does your holy book say about who are your best friends in the world - the Jews or the Christians? Look what we Jews h ave done for you!" That is all they have to do to disprove the Qur'an's authenti city, yet they have not done it in 1400 years. But, as always, the offer still s tands open! All of the examples so far given concerning the various angles from which one c an approach the Qur'an have undoubtedly been subjective in nature; however the re does exist another angle, among others, which is objective and whose basis is mathematical. It is surprising how authentic the Qur'an becomes when one assemb les what might be referred to as a list of good guesses. Mathematically, it can be explained using guessing and prediction examples. For instance, if a person h as two choices (i.e., one is right, and one is wrong), and he closes his eyes an d makes a choice, then half of the time (i.e., one time out of two) he will be r ight. Basically, he has a one in two chance, for he could pick the wrong choice,

or he could pick the right choice. Now if the same person has two situations li ke that (i.e., he could be right or wrong about situation number one, and he cou ld be right or wrong about situation number two), and he closes his eyes and gue sses, then he will only be right one fourth of the time (i.e., one time out of f our). He now has a one in four chance because now there are three ways for him t o be wrong and only one way for him to be right. In simple terms, he could make the wrong choice in situation number one and then make the wrong choice in situa tion number two; OR he could make the wrong choice in situation number one and t hen make the right choice in situation number two; OR he could make the right ch oice in situation number one and then make the wrong choice in situation number two; OR he could make the right choice in situation number one and then make the right choice in situation number two. Of course, the only instance in which he could be totally right is the last scenario where he could guess correctly in bo th situations. The odds of his guessing completely correctly have become greater because the number of situations for him to guess in have increased; and the ma thematical equation representing such a scenario is 1/2 x 1/2 (i.e., one time ou t of two for the first situation multiplied by one time out of two for the secon d situation). Continuing on with the example, if the same person now has three situations in w hich to make blind guesses, then he will only be right one eighth of the time (i .e., one time out of eight or 1/2 X 1/2 X 1/2). Again, the odds of choosing the correct choice in all three situations have decreased his chances of being compl etely correct to only one time in eight. It must be understood that as the numbe r of situations increase, the chances of being right decrease, for the two pheno mena are inversely proportional. Now applying this example to the situations in the Qur'an, if one draws up a lis t of all of the subjects about which the Qur'an has made correct statements, it becomes very clear that it is highly unlikely that they were all just correct bl ind guesses. Indeed, the subjects discussed in the Qur'an are numerous, and thus the odds of someone just making lucky guesses about all of them become practica lly nil. If there are a million ways for the Qur'an to be wrong, yet each time i t is right, then it is unlikely that someone was guessing. The following three e xamples of subjects about which the Qur'an has made correct statements collectiv ely illustrate how the Qur'an continues to beat the odds. In the 16th chapter the Qur'an mentions that the female bee leaves its home to g ather food.l2 Now, a person might guess on that, saying, "The bee that you see f lying around - it could be male, or it could be female. I think I will guess fem ale." Certainly, he has a one in two chance of being right. So it happens that t he Qur'an is right. But it also happens that was not what most people believed a t the time when the Qur'an was revealed. Can you tell the difference between a m ale and a female bee? Well, it takes a specialist to do that, but it has been di scovered that the male bee never leaves his home to gather food. However, in Sha kespeare's play, Henry the Fourth, some of the characters discuss bees and menti on that the bees are soldiers and have a king. That is what people thought in Sh akespeare's time - that the bees that one sees flying around are male bees and t hat they go home and answer to a king. However, that is not true at all. The fac t is that they are females, and they answer to a queen. Yet it took modern scien tific investigations in the last 300 years to discover that this is the case. So, back to the list of good guesses, concerning the topic of bees, the Qur'an h ad a 50/50 chance of being right, and the odds were one in two. In addition to the subject of bees, the Qur'an also discusses the sun and the ma nner in which it travels through space. Again, a person can guess on that subjec t. When the sun moves through space, there are two options: it can travel just a s a stone would travel if one threw it, or it can move of its own accord. The Qu r'an states the latter - that it moves as a result of its own motion.'3 To do su

ch, the Qur'an uses a form of the word sabaha to describe the sun's movement thr ough space. In order to properly provide the reader with a comprehensive underst anding of the implications of this Arabic verb, the following example is given. If a man is in water and the verb sabaha is applied in reference to his movement , it can be understood that he is swimming, moving of his own accord and not as a result of a direct force applied to him. Thus when this verb is used in refere nce to the sun's movement through space, it in no way implies that the sun is fl ying uncontrollably through space as a result of being hurled or the like. It si mply means that the sun is turning and rotating as it travels. Now, this is what the Qur'an affirms, but was it an easy thing to discover? Can any common man te ll that the sun is turning? Only in modern times was the equipment made availabl e to project the image of the sun onto a tabletop so that one could look at it w ithout being blinded. And through this process it was discovered that not only a re there three spots on the sun but that these spots move once every 25 days. Th is movement is referred to as the rotation of the sun around its axis and conclu sively proves that, as the Qur'an stated 1400 years ago, the sun does, indeed tu rn as it travels through space. And returning once again to the subject of good guess, the odds of guessing corr ectly about both subjects - the sex of bees and the movement of the sun - are on e in four! Seeing as far back as fourteen centuries ago people probably did not understand much about time zones, the Quran's statements about this subject are considerab ly surprising. The concept that one family is having breakfast as the sun comes up while another family is enjoying the brisk night air is truly something to be marveled at, even in modern time. Indeed, fourteen centuries ago, a man could n ot travel more than thirty miles in one day, and thus it took him literally mont hs to travel from India to Morocco, for example. And probably , when he was havi ng supper in Morocco, he thought to himself, "Back home in India they are having supper right now." This is because he did not realize that, in the process of t raveling, he moved across a time zone. Yet, because it is the words of Allaah, t he All-Knowing, the Qur'an recognizes and acknowledges such a phenomenon. In an interesting verse it states that when history comes to an end and the Day of Jud gment arrives, it will all be occurring in an instant; and this very instant wil l catch some people in the daytime and some people at night. This clearly illust rates Allaah's divine wisdom and His previous knowledge of the existence of time zones, even though such a discovery was non-existent fourteen centuries ago. Ce rtainly, this phenomenon is not something which is obvious to one's eyes or a re sult of one's experience, and this fact, in itself, suffices as proof of the Qur 'an's authenticity. Returning one final time to the subject of good guesses for the purpose of the p resent example, the odds that someone guessed correctly about all three of the a forementioned subjects - the sex of bees, the movement of the sun and the existe nce of time zones - are one in eight! Certainly, one could continue on and on with this example, drawing up longer and longer list of good guesses; and of course, the odds would become higher and hi gher with each increase of subjects about which one could guess. But what no one can deny is the following; the odds that Mohammed an illiterate, guessed correc tly about thousands and thousands of subjects, never once making a mistake, are so high that any theory of his authorship of the Qur'an must be completely dismi ssed - even by the most hostile enemies of Islam! Indeed, the Qur'an expects this kind of challenge. Undoubtedly, if one said to s omeone upon entering a foreign land, "I know your father. I have met him," proba bly the man from that land would doubt the newcomer's word, saying, "You have ju st come here. How could you know my father?" As a result, he would question him, "Tell me, is my father tall, short, dark, fair? What is he like?" Of course, if

the visitor continued answering all of the questions correctly, the skeptic wou ld have no choice but to say, "I guess you do know my father. I don't know how y ou know him, but I guess you do!" The situation is the same with the Qur'an. It states that it originates from the One who created everything. So everyone has t he right to say, "Convince me! If the author of this book really originated life and everything in the heavens and on the earth, then He should know about this, about that, and so on." And inevitably, after researching the Qur'an, everyone will discover the same truths. Additionally, we all know something for sure: we do not all have to be experts to verify what the Qur'an affirms. One's iman (fai th) grows as one continues to check and confirm the truths contained in the Qur' an. And one is supposed to do so all of his life. May God (Allaah) guide everyone close to the truth. SUPPLEMENT An engineer at the University of Toronto who was interested in psychology and wh o had read something on it, conducted researched wrote a thesis on Efficiency of Group Discussions. The purpose of his research was to find out how much people accomplish when they get together to talk in groups of two, three, ten, etc. The graph of his findings: people accomplish most when they talk in groups of two. Of course, this discovery was entirely beyond his expectations, but it is very o ld advice given in the Qur'an: "Say, 'I exhort you to one thing - that you stand for Allaah, [assessing the tru th] by twos and singly, and then reflect.....' In conclusion I ask you to consid er with care the following: Additionally, the 89th chapter of the Qur'an mentions a certain city by the name of 'Iram (a city of pillars), which was not known in ancient history and which was non-existent as far as historians were concerned. However, the December 1978 edition of National Geographic introduced interesting information which mention ed that in 1973, the city of Elba was excavated in Syria. The city was discovere d to be 43 centuries old, but that is not the most amazing part. Researchers fou nd in the library of Elba a record of all of the cities with which Elba had done business. Believe or not, there on the list was the name of the city of 'Iram. The people of Elba had done business with the people of 'Iram! "And they say, 'Why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord?' Say, 'Indeed, the signs are with Allaah, and I am but a clear warner.' But is sufficient for them that We have sent down to you the Book [i.e. Qur'an] which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in that is mercy and a reminder to people who believe. ******************************************************************************** ********** The Miracle of Qur'an http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=206:the-miracl e-of-quran&catid=45:the-noble-quran-koran&Itemid=193 In the Qur'aan are many signs of its truth and many years after its revelation t hese signs continue to be prominent. "We shall show them Our signs on the horizo ns and within themselves until it will become clear to them that it is the Truth . Does it not suffice that your Lord is Witness over all things?" (Qur'an 41:5) "The Qur'an and the Sunnah very detailed description om a mere sperm drop up to ell known that microscopes of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) provide a of the microscopic development of the human embryo fr the stage of a completely formed human being. It is w were not developed until the sixteenth century AD, an

d even at that were very crude in design" "We shall show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it wil l become clear to them that it is the Truth. Does it not suffice that your Lord is Witness over all things?" (Fussilat, They are Explained in Detail, 41:53) Muslims are taught that throughout the ages, Allah Almighty has sent a prophet t o every nation as a warner and a bearer of glad tidings. "Verily! We have sent you (O Muhammad) with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner has passed among them," (Fatir, The Originator of Creation, 35:24) Each prophet was wisely selected by Allah in order to be the best person for the job. He was then provided by Allah with miracles as proof of his truthfulness a nd his message. These miracles were wisely selected by Allah in order to be in t he same field as that which these people excelled in so that they could fully co mprehend the magnitude of these miracles. For instance, the people during the time of Moses excelled at magical trickery. Their rulers used to surround themselves with the most powerful of these wizards as a sign of power. This is why Allaah made the miracles of Moses similar to th eir magical trickery (changing a stick into a snake, parting of the sea... etc.) but of a much greater magnitude than anything they could ever hope to accomplis h. For they were not tricks, but actual physical miracles. The people at the time of the prophet Jesus excelled in matters of medicine. For this reason, his miracles were of a medical nature (raising of the dead, healin g of the blind...etc.), but of a degree that they could never hope to imitate. S imilarly, one of the major miracles of Islam was a new and unheard-of type of li terature similar to the Bedouin's poetry but far beyond anything they could ever hope to match. Although they did indeed try. This new literature was called "Th e Qur'an." The Arabic language, as can be attested to by any of it's scholars, is a very ri ch and powerful language. The Bedouin people of the Arabian desert were, in gene ral, illiterate people of very little scientific knowledge. The thing that set t hem apart, however, was their mastery of poetry. Spending their days as they did in the desert watching their sheep graze got quite boring. They alleviated thei r boredom by continually composing and refining poetry. They would spend entire years composing and refining their poetry in anticipation of a yearly face-down of the poetic compositions of their peers from all over the country. The fact th at they were illiterate forced them to also train themselves in the memorization of works of literature to such an extent that they were able to memorize comple te works from a single recitation. Even in matters of leadership, one of the maj or criteria for selecting the leaders of the various Bedouin tribes was the indi vidual's prowess in literary composition and memorization. The Arabian Bedouins took great pains to make their poetry as compact and pictur esque as humanly possible, constantly expanding the language along the way. A si ngle word could convey complete pictures. The Qur'an, however, has put even thes e great efforts to shame. You will notice that when a Muslim translates a verse

of the Qur'an he usually does not say "the Qur'an says so and so" but rather "An approximation of the meaning of what the Qur'an says is so and so." You really need to know the language to comprehend this. In the English language, we find that the words: "mustang," "colt," "mare," "pon y," "stallion," "bronco"... etc. all refer to the same thing; a horse. Each one of these words conveys a slightly different mental picture. The mental picture w e get when we hear the word "colt" is slightly different than the picture we get if we hear the word "mare." In a similar manner, the Arabic language progressed in such a fashion as to make it possible to convey such mental pictures in as c oncise and picturesque a format as possible. It is not at all uncommon to find o ver three hundred words that refer to the same thing in the Arabic language. Eac h one of these words gives a slightly different picture than the others. Many centuries of this constant refinement eventually lead to a very complex and rich vocabulary, and the primary miracle of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Q ur'an, was in exactly this field In the noble Qur'an we find a challenge from Allah to compose a literary work on a par with this Qur'an it is indeed the work of mankind. They could not. The Qu r'an continued to reduce it's challenge until the challenge finally became: "com pose only a single verse comparable to this Qur'an and you will have won." They still could not. This in addition to the fairness, justice, and logic of the Qur 'an eventually won them over and slowly more and more people became Muslims. "Well then, if the Koran were his own [Muhammad's] composition other men could r ival it. Let them produce ten verses like it. If they could not (and it is obvio us that they could not), then let them accept the Koran as an outstanding eviden tial miracle" Mohammedanism, H. A. R. Gibb, Oxford University Press, p. 42 "From the literary point of view, the Koran is regarded as a specimen of purest Arabic, written in half poetry, half prose. It has been said that in some cases grammarians have adopted their rules to agree with certain expressions used in i t, and though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as f ar as elegant writing is concerned, none yet has succeeded" Glimpses of the Noble Qur'an, Muhammad Azizullah, Crescent Publications, pp. 104 -105 "In making the present attempt to improve on the performance of my predecessors, and to produce something which might be accepted as echoing however faintly the sublime rhetoric of the Arabic Koran, I have been at pains to study the intrica te and richly varied rhythms which - apart from the message itself - constitute the Koran's undeniable claim to rank amongst the greatest literary masterpieces of mankind... This very characteristic feature - 'that inimitable symphony,' as the believing Pickthall described his Holy Book, 'the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy' - has been almost totally ignored by previous translat ors; it is therefore not surprising that what they have wrought sounds dull and flat indeed in comparison with the splendidly decorated original." The Koran Interpreted, Arthur J. Arberry, Oxford University Press, 1964, p. x.

"The Koran admittedly occupies an important position among the great religious b ooks of the world. Though the youngest of the epoch-making works belonging to th is class of literature, it yields to hardly any in the wonderful effect which it has produced on large masses of men. It has created an all but new phase of hum an thought and a fresh type of character. It first transformed a number of heter ogeneous desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula into a nation of heroes, and the n proceeded to create the vast politico-religious organizations of the Muhammada n world which are one of the great forces with which Europe and the East have to reckon today." G. Margoliouth, Introduction to J.M. Rodwell's, The Koran, New York: Everyman's Library, 1977, p. vii. "A work, then, which calls forth so powerful and seemingly incompatible emotions even in the distant reader - distant as to time, and still more so as a mental development - a work which not only conquers the repugnance which he may begin i ts perusal, but changes this adverse feeling into astonishment and admiration, s uch a work must be a wonderful production of the human mind indeed and a problem of the highest interest to every thoughtful observer of the destinies of mankin d Here, therefore, its merits as a literary production should perhaps not be mea sured by some preconceived maxims of subjective and aesthetic taste, but by the effects which it produced in Muhammad's contemporaries and fellow countrymen. If it spoke so powerfully and convincingly to the hearts of his hearers as to weld hitherto centrifugal and antagonistic elements into one compact and well-organi zed body, animated by ideas far beyond those which had until now ruled the Arabi an mind, then its eloquence was perfect, simply because it created a civilized n ation out of savage tribes, and shot a fresh woof into the old warp of history." Dr. Steingass, quoted in T.P. Hughes' Dictionary Of Islam, p. 526-528. Many claims have been made against Muhammad in that day and this. Among them are the claims that he was a lunatic, a liar, or deceived by the devil. If Muhammad was a lunatic or a liar then we have to wonder how all of his prophesies came t rue?. Further, if he was a deceived by Satan then we are faced with another prob lem. For we know that all Muslims are taught that when reading the Qur'an they m ust first begin with the words "I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the accursed o ne." and then follow this up with the words "In the name of Allah, Most Compassi onate, Most Merciful" So we have to wonder if Satan would "inspire" a man to tea ch mankind to seek refuge in God from Satan? Indeed this is the exact same accus ation which was made against Jesus (pbuh). Let us read how Jesus responded to th is claim: "But some of them (the Jews) said, He (Jesus) casteth out devils through Beelzeb ub (Satan) the chief of the devils. And others, tempting [him], sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house [divided] against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub." Luke 11:15-18 It has been the case throughout miracle was separate from their rah" of Moses, still, it is not rform miracles as it did in his the ages that with all previous prophets, their book. Although we may claim that we have the "To possible now to bring Moses' staff and see it pe time. Similarly it is not possible today to see

Jesus raise the dead as he did so many centuries ago. However, since the message of Islam was the final message of God to mankind, therefore, the book of Islam itself was made the main miracle of Islam and it has continued to renew it's cha llenge to mankind throughout the ages. What does this ary content of impact it did quoted at the ally renew the newed? mean? Nowadays, the number of people who can appreciate the liter the Qur'an has dwindled and this challenge no longer has the same fourteen hundred years ago. However, as we have seen in the verse beginning of this chapter, Allah Almighty has promised to continu challenge of the Qur'an throughout the ages. So how will it be re

Recently, a new field of study has opened up to scholars. People nowadays are fa scinated with science. This is the age of technology and scientific discovery. F or this reason, mankind has begun to study the religious scriptures of mankind f rom a scientific point of view in order to challenge the scientific claims made in these scriptures. Many works have been published on this topic. In this chapt er I will give a brief taste of these matters and then leave it up to the intere sted reader to learn more from any one of the many books which have been publish ed in this regard (see list at the end of this book). As mentioned previously, Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived among tribes of peop le who were for the most part illiterate. He himself was also illiterate. These people used to live extremely simple lives. Some were traders and businessmen, o thers were farmers, and yet others were nomadic sheepherders who traveled from p lace to place depending on where they could find grass for their sheep to graze. When Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought them the Qur'an, the believers found in the Qur'an the command to go out, seek knowledge, and confirm the presence of their Creator by studying His creation. Muslims began to fulfill this command o f the Qur'an and this resulted in one of the greatest explosions of scientific a dvancement mankind has ever seen. All of this was going on during a period that the West calls "The Dark Ages," wherein the scientists of the West were being pe rsecuted and killed as sorcerers and wizards. During this period, Muslims schola rs introduced into the world such things as: * Mathematical evolution of spherical mirrors * Rectilinear motion of light and use of lenses * Refraction angle variations * Magnifying effects of the plano convex lens * Introduced the concept of the elliptical shape of cosmological bodies * Study of the center of gravity as applied to balance * Measurement of specific weights of bodies * Rule of algebraic equations * Solutions to quadratic and cubic equations * Work on square roots, squares, theory of numbers, solution of the fractional n umbers

* Solutions of equations of cubic order * Wrote on conic geometry elaborating the solution of algebraic equations * Determined the Trinomial Equation * Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine." He is know as the Prince of Physicians to the West * Wrote the first description of several drugs and diseases as meningitis. * Treatment of physiological shocks * Expertise in psychosomatic medicine and psychology * Al-Biruni mentions fifty six manuscripts on pharmacology * Credited for identifying small pox and its treatment * Use of alcohol as an antiseptic * Use of mercury as a purgative for the first time * First to describe the circulation of blood. * "Abbas" was, after Rhazes, the most outstanding Physician. His works were auth oritative till the works of ibn Sina appeared * Writings on Cosmology, Astrology, Science of numbers and letters * Proved that the earth is smaller than the sun but larger than the moon. * Final authorities on Chemistry for many Centuries * Classified metals into three classifications * Laid the basis of the Acid Base theory * Distillation, calcination, crystallization, the discovery of many acids * Cultivation of Gold - is a continuation of Jabir's work * Theory of Oscillatory motion of equinoxes * Addition of ninth sphere to the eight Ptolemaic astronomy * Discovered the increase of the suns apogee * Gravitational force * Responsible for the discovery motion of the solar apsides * wrote ' On the Science of Stars ' * Determination of latitudes and longitudes * Determination of geodetic measurements * Described the motion of the planets

* Solved the problems of spherical trigonometry * First to study the isometric oscillatory motion of a pendulum * Invented the instrument ' Sahifah " * Responsible for the proof of the motion of the apogee of the sun with respect to the fixed stars. * authorities on the theory of the system of homocentric spheres * Prepared a calendar that was more accurate than the Gregorian one in use today . ...............and much, much more. All of this began with a single illiterate Arab from the desert fourteen hundred years ago. The book that was brought into the world by such a man cries out to be studied from a scientific aspect. We will now give you a glimpse of the resul ts: "So ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know" (Al-Anbiyah, The Prophets 21:7)

Example Number 1: Embryology: Dr. Keith L. Moore is a Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Tor onto, Toronto, Canada. He is a world renowned scientist and a distinguished rese archer in the fields of anatomy and embryology, he has published more than 150 r esearch articles, chapters and books in this field. He is the author of several medical textbooks, such as the widely used and acclaimed "The Developing Human: Clinically oriented Embryology" (now in it's fifth edition, and translated into eight different languages), "Before We Are Born" and "Clinically Oriented Anatom y." He has also recently co-authored "Qur'an and Modern Science, Correlation Stu dies." Dr. Moore is the recipient of numerous awards and honours, including, in 1984, the J.C.B. Grant Award, which is the highest honor granted by the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He has served in many academic and administrative po sitions, including the President of the Canadian Association of Anatomists, 1968 -1970. Let us see what Dr. Moore's opinion is on the scientific statements regar ding embryology to be found in the Qur'an: Dr. Moore was contacted by a Muslim by the name of Abdul-Majeed Azzindani. He wa s asked to participate in a three-year study of around twenty-five verses of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (sayings of Muhammad, peace be upon him) which speak abou t embryology, and to determine the their correspondence to modern scientific dis coveries. Dr. Moore's conclusion regarding this matter was: "For the past three years, I have worked with the Embryology Committee of King A bdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, helping them to interpret the many statements in the Qur'an and the Sunnah referring to human reproduction and pren atal development. At first I was astonished by the accuracy of the statements th at were recorded in the seventh century AD, before the science of embryology was

established. Although I was aware of the glorious history of Muslim scientists in the 10th century AD, and of some of their contributions to Medicine, I knew n othing about the religious facts and beliefs contained in the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is important for Islamic and other students to understand the meaning of the se Qur'anic statements about human development, based on current scientific know ledge. The interpretations of the "verses" in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, transla ted by Shaikh Azzindani, are to the best of my knowledge accurate." From the forward of "The Developing Human: Clinically oriented Embryology," thir d edition, by Dr. Keith L. Moore. The Qur'an and the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) provide a very detailed description of the microscopic development of the human embryo fro m a mere sperm drop up to the stage of a completely formed human being. It is we ll known that microscopes were not developed until the sixteenth century AD, and even at that were very crude in design. Zacharias Janssen is credited with havi ng invented the compound microscope in about 1590. With it, remarkable scientifi c discoveries were made in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Dutch naturalist Ant hony van Leeuwenhoek produced lenses powerful enough to prove that many tiny cre atures are not spontaneously generated but come from eggs. Before this period, theories on human reproduction ran rampant. Some scientist b elieved that the menstrual blood itself developed into the fetus. Later on, a ne w theory was developed wherein the sperm drop was popularly believed to contain a completely developed miniature human (homunculus) which later grew to the size of a baby. The science of embryology as we know it today did not discover many of the detailed aspects of human development which are taken for granted today u ntil only about twenty years ago, or 1973 to be precise. Now we must ask the question: where did Muhammad (peace be upon him) get such de tailed knowledge of the microscopic development of the human embryo in the 6th c entury AD without a microscope, technical training, a laboratory of any kind, or even the ability to write his own name? The only logical conclusion is that it came from exactly where he claimed it did. From the one who created mankind, God Almighty! Prof. Moore has since given numerous lectures on the topic of embryology in the Qur'an. He is quoted in one of these lectures as saying: "It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries l ater. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God, or Alla h." Prof. Moore was so impressed with the Qur'anic classification of the stages of d evelopment of the human embryo, that he suggested the adoption of the Qur'anic s ystem in place of the system currently in use by scientists today. Prof. Moore s aid: "Because the staging of the human embryo is complex owing to the continuous proc ess of change during development. It is therefore suggested that a new system of classification could be developed using the terms mentioned in the Qur'an and t he Sunnah. The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and conforms with prese

nt embryological knowledge." When Dr. Moore first presented his findings in Toronto it caused quite a stir th roughout Canada. It was on the front pages of some of the newspapers across Cana da. One newspaper reporter asked Professor Moore, "Don't you think that maybe the Arabs might have known about these things - the description of the embryo, its appearance and how it changes and grows? Maybe th ere were not scientists, but maybe they did some crude dissections on their own - carved up people and examined these things." Professor Morre immediately pointed out to him, however, that he had missed a ve ry important point. All of the slides of the embryo that Dr. Moore had based his study upon had come from pictures taken through a microscope. He said, "It does not matter if someone had tried to discover embryology fourteen centuri es ago, they could not have seen it!." Dr. Moore taunted, "Maybe fourteen centur ies ago someone secretly had a microscope and did this research, making no mista kes anywhere. Then he somehow taught Muhammad and convinced him to put this info rmation in his book. Then he destroyed his equipment and kept it a secret foreve r?. Do you believe that? You really should not unless you bring some proof becau se it is such a ridiculous theory." When he was asked "How do you explain this information in the Qur'an?" Dr. Moore 's reply was, "It could only have been divinely revealed."

Example Number 2: The Universe: Another example of such scientifically accurate statements in the Qur'an can be found in the following analysis: "And the firmament (sky) We constructed with power and skill and verily We are e xpanding it" (Adh-Dhariyaat, The Winds that Scatter, 51:47) (Remember: "we" is the Arabic plural of respect, not the Christian plural of "Tr inity," as seen in chapter 14). "Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were fused then We r ipped them asunder, and We created from water every living thing, do they not be lieve?" (Al-Anbiyya, The Prophets, 21:30) "Then He settled/equilibrated unto the firmament (sky) when it was smoke and sai d unto it and to the earth: come willingly or unwillingly. They said: we come wi llingly"

(Fussilat, They are Explained in Detail, 41:11) Allah Almighty has in these three concise verses answered questions that it has taken some of the greatest physicists and astronomers of history centuries to an swer. It was only in this century that they finally found the truth. Mankind has studied the heavens and the earth for countless centuries. The Greek s were some of the first people to attempt to describe various cosmological phen omena. They gave us many of the very first theories regarding the universe and i t's composition. The major contribution came with the writings of Plato. Plato c laimed that the universe was created by what he called "The Demiurge." According to Plato, the universe was the result of reasoning and planning, it was constru cted by the Demiurge upon precise mathematical and geometrical principles. Later on, Aristotle, Plato's student, adopted his teacher's basic concept. Aristoteli an cosmology was based on the concept of an enclosed cosmos comprising a series of concentric, spheres revolving around a stationary Earth. Motion was provided by the "prime mover" and, once initiated, would remain circular, uniform and ete rnal. Both Plato and Aristotle taught that the universe was eternal, with neither begi nning nor end. The universe as a whole was considered steady and unmoving, and t his was the basis for the later formation of the "steady state theory." In 1915, Albert Einstein had published the famous general theory of relativity. Soon aft erward he proposed a static model of the universe, but he would later declare th at it was "one of the greatest mistakes of my career." Why?, Because in 1925, Ed win Hubble (after whom the Hubble Space telescope is named) provided the observa tional evidence for the expansion of the universe, or as Stephen Hawking put it "The universe is not static, as had previously been thought, it was expanding." Although mankind did not discover these facts till this 20th Century, still, we find that Allah Almighty had provided the answers for mankind 1400 years ago in the Qur'an through the agency of His illiterate Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). During Muhammad's (peace be upon him) time, the Greeks were claiming that the cosmos was static and not expanding. So how did he know that the universe wa s expanding 1300 years before the foremost scientist of the West proved this to be a scientific fact? However, this is not the only claim that the Qur'an makes with regard to the uni verse. Let us study the next two verses: At the present time, the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe is the co smological model most widely accepted by astronomers. It holds that about 20,000 ,000,000 years ago the universe began with the explosive expansion of a single, extremely condensed state of matter ("the heavens and the earth were fused then we ripped them asunder"). As mentioned above, a further development of this mode l, known as "inflationary theory," describes the original condensed matter as ar ising from virtually empty space. It was only after the development of radio tel escopes in 1937 AD that the necessary observational precision was achieved in or der for astronomers to arrive at the above conclusion. Out of the observations o f such scientists has arisen the so called "Hubble Constant" (Ho) which is quant ity currently used to gauge the rate at which the universe is expanding. In othe r words, the issue is no longer whether the universe is expanding or not, rather , it is only a question of how fast it is expanding.

The second and third verses presented appear to claim that the heavens and the e arth were once a single mass then were "ripped asunder," The exact root words us ed in the Qur'an are the words "ra-ta-qa" and "fa-ta-qa," or "the heavens and th e earth were 'ra-ta-qa' then we 'fa-ta-qa' them" "Ra-ta-qa" is an Arabic word which has the general meaning of "to fuse, to sew, to mend, to patch up, to repair." ("Lisan Al-Arab," by Ibn Mandoor, Vol. 10, Dar Al-Fikr, p. 114, and also "A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic," Hans Wehr, L ibrairie du Liban, p. 325) Similarly, "fa-ta-qa" has the general meaning of "To rip, to undo sewing, to uns titch, to tear apart, to rend, to rip open." ("Lisan Al-Arab," by Ibn Mandoor, V ol. 10, Dar Al-Fikr, p. 296, and also "A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic," H ans Wehr, Librairie du Liban, p. 695) The verse then goes on to say that Allah Almighty created the heavens and the ea rth from a celestial "smoke." Astronomers today have pictures of galaxies being formed by exactly this process, i.e. the condensation of spiraling celestial "mi sts." Isn't it an incredible coincidence that an illiterate man from the desert, without the aid of observatories or satellite imaging was making these claims o ver 1400 years ago?. Was he just guessing? Further, the cosmic phenomenon depicted in the following two figures is commonly referred to by astronomists as a cosmic "mist." However, if we were to read the second verse of the Qur'an presented above we will find that the Qur'an more ac curately refers to it as a "smoke." This is because "mist" implies a cool and tr anquil spray of water. However, "smoke" implies a hot gas containing airborne pa rticles. This is indeed another example of the literary miracle of the Qur'an in that it manages to convey to us in a very concise language a very accurate and detailed description of the topic at hand. "And those who have been given knowledge know that that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth" (Saba, Sheba 34:6) "Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care) or are there locks upon their heart s?" (Muhammad, 47:24) Example Number 3: Water and Life: In the Qur'an we read: "Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together then we split them asunder, and we created from water every living thing, do th ey not believe?" (Al-Anbiya, The Prophets, 21:30)

"And Allaah has created every trodding creature from water......" (An-Noor, The Light 24:45) "It is He who created from water a human...." (Al-Furqaan, The Criterion, 25:54) Water is the most common substance on Earth, covering more than 70% of the plane t's surface. All living things consist mostly of water; for example, the human b ody is about two-thirds water (when you cremate a human what happens to him? Why ?). Scientist tell us that all forms of life known to humanity today require thr ee basic conditions: Temperature, the existence of water, and the existence of a n atmosphere. All metabolisms require water to survive, so animals that exist in arid regions have body mechanisms that protect against water loss and make maximum use of wat er (camels for example). Dehydration in humans results from lack of food, drink, and from sweating, in addition to other factors. This loss eventually affects t he proper functioning of the heart, central nervous system, and organs containin g smooth muscle. Finally, intercellular water is lost, which upsets vital chemic al processes in the cells. If water is not restored to the body, death will usua lly occur within a few days. The blood of all living creatures is composed of 55 percent plasma, which in tur n is composed of more than 90 percent water. Jan Baptista van Helmont, the first experimental physiologist, around 1640 AD concluded that water is the only soil component required for plant growth. We could go on and on. Again we find ourse lves asking the question: How did Muhammad (pbuh) know that all living creatures are created from water centuries before mankind discovered this fact through sc ientific experimentation? Did he randomly select an element from the countless b illions of possible choices? Why did he not claim that mankind was created from air, or from wood, or from light? Why water?

Example Number 4: Deep sea currents: In the Qur'an we read: "Or as darkness on a vast, abysmal sea. There covers it a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layer upon layer of darkness." (An-Noor, The Light 24:40) Mankind began to build submersibles in the seventeenth century. The first crude craft known to have ventured underwater was built by Cornelis Drebbel, court eng ineer to James I of England, and was demonstrated on the Thames river in 1620. F rom then onwards, development of submarines continued until the twentieth centur y, or 1954 to be exact, when the first nuclear submarine became a reality. With mankind's study of the sea came the realization that the waters lying underneath the surface waves were not the place of tranquil calmness they were previously envisioned to be. Rather, there were underwater currents called deep sea current s which could at times become such violent storms as to rearrange sediments in t he ocean bottom. How did Muhammad (peace be upon him) know about these underwate

r currents centuries before mankind invented the tools necessary for underwater exploration? "Say: It was sent down by He who knows the secrets in the heavens and the earth. " (Al-Furqaan, The Criterion (25):6) It is worth mentioning here in connection with the above verse that some scienti sts have interpreted the "layer upon layer of darkness" to be the gradual separa tion of the light spectrum within the ocean, one color at a time until complete darkness is finally achieved. In other words, at one depth, the yellow bandwidth is suppressed and "yellow darkness" is achieved. At another depth, the red band width is suppressed and "red darkness" is achieved, and so forth. There are many other scientific statements made in the Qur'an which were only di scovered to be scientifically accurate many centuries after Muhammad's death. Ma ny of them have only been discovered in this century. They range over many field s of science including Anatomy, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geology, Hydrology, and ma ny other disciplines which are only beginning to be addressed by scientists toda y. For example, the Qur'an makes reference to the fact that a human's pain receptor s are located in the skin (An-Nisaa', The Women 4:56). That the frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for lying and sin (Al-'Alaq, The Clot 96:16). That mo untains have below them roots that extend deep into the earth's surface (An-Naba , The Great News 78:7). That mountains pin the earth's crust and prevent it from moving (Al-Nahil(16):15). That there exists a physical barrier between bodies o f fresh and salt water (Al-Rahman (55):20). There is also information regarding the formation of milk in cows (Al-Nahl, The Bee 16:66). And on and on. So where was Muhammad (peace be upon him) getting all of these scientific facts if not fr om the Creator of mankind and the universe? Allah Almighty askes: "Is this sorcery or is it that you do not see?" (At-Toor, The Mount 52:15) Prof. Keith Moore is not the only scholar who has been presented with such verse s of the Qur'an. Many other scholars from all over the world have been presented with similar statements from the Qur'an in their field of expertise. Only a few of these people are: 1) Dr. E. Marshall Johnson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and the Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute, Thoma s Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. Author of over 200 publications. Form er President of the Teratology Society among other accomplishments. After studyi ng the verses of the Qur'an he came to the following conclusion: "The Qur'an describes not only the development of external form but emphasizes a lso the internal stages - the stages inside the embryo of its creation and devel opment, emphasizing major events recognized by contemporary science... If I was to transpose myself into that era, knowing what I do today and describing things , I could not describe the things that were described... I see no evidence to re fute the concept that this individual Muhammad had to be developing this informa

tion from some place... so I see nothing in conflict with the concept that divin e intervention was involved..." 2) Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson. Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor Collage of Medicine, Houston, Texas. He is the Preside nt of the American Fertility Society, and has served in many other professional, national, and international organizations. He has received numerous awards incl uding Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology Public Recognition Award in 1992. He has published more than 400 chapters and articles in journals and books. He says: "... these Hadeeths (sayings of Muhammad) could not have been obtained on the ba sis of the scientific knowledge that was available at the time of the writer'... It follows that not only is there no conflict between genetics and religion (Is lam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches... There exist statements in the Qur'a n shown centuries later to be valid which support knowledge in the Qur'an having been derived from God." 3) Dr. T.V.N. Persaud. Professor and Head of the Department of Anatomy, Professo r of Pediatrics and Child Health, and Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecol ogy and Reproductive Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canad a. He is the author and editor of 25 books, has contributed 31 chapters to publi cations, and has published over 180 scientific papers. In 1991 he received the m ost distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He says: "Muhammad was a very ordinary man, he couldn't read, didn't know how to write, i n fact he was an illiterate... we're talking about 1400 years ago, you have some illiterate person making profound statements that are amazingly accurate, of a scientific nature... I personally can't see how this could be mere chance, there are too many accuracies and like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind rec onciling that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which lead him to these statements." 4) After a study which lasted ten years, the famous French physician Maurice Buc aille addressed the French Academy of Medicine in 1976 and expressed the complet e agreement of the Qur'an and established findings of modern science. He present ed his study on the existence in the Qur'an of certain statements concerning phy siology and reproduction. His reason for doing that was that "our knowledge of these disciplines is such, that it is impossible to explain ho w a text produced at the time of the Qur'an could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times." 5) Dr. Tejatet Tejasen, Head of the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chiang Mai, Thailand. After his study on the Qur'an passages deali ng with embryology: "From my studies and what I have learnt at this conference I believe that everyt hing that has been recorded in the Qur'an 1400 years ago must be true. That can be proved the scientific way."

Others include: 6) Dr. Gerald C. Goeringer. Professor and Coordinator of Medical Embryology in t he Department of Cell Biology in the Georgetown University school of Medicine. W ashington, D.C. He has published numerous articles dealing mainly with the study of teratogenesis. 7) Dr. Alfred Kroner, Professor of Geology, Germany. 8) Dr. Yoshiodi Kozan, Director of the observatory of Tokyo, Japan. 9) Dr. William Hay, Professor of Oceanography, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. 10) Dr. Pete Palmer, Professor of Geology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo rado. 11) Dr. Sayawida, Professor of Marine Geology, Japan. 12) Dr. Armstrong, Professor of Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansa s. 13) Dr. Draga Persaud Rauw, Professor of Marine Geology, King Abdulaziz Universi ty, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 14) Dr. Schroeder, Professor of Oceanography, Germany.

The response of these scholars when presented with verses of the Qur'an in their field of specialization, varied. One thing however was always constant. They al l confirmed the accuracy of the scientific statements made in the Qur'an, and th ey all could not explain how Muhammad (peace be upon him) could have known with such accuracy the scientific claims to be found in the Qur'an so many centuries before mankind discovered them to be scientific truths. Allaah Almighty tells us in the Qur'an: "Allaah did not create (all) that except in truth. He details the signs for peop le of knowledge." (Yunus, Jonah 10:5) "And those who were given knowledge see that which was sent down upon you by you r Lord is the truth and guides to the path of the 'Exalted' (in Might) the 'wort hy of all praise'."

(Saba', Sheba, 34:6) "Had We sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would surely have seen it hum bling itself and rending asunder for fear of Allaah. Such are the parables We pu t forth for mankind that they may reflect." (Al-Hashr, The Gathering 59:21) "Verily! this Qur'an guides to that which is most upright, and gives glad tiding s to the believers who work deeds of righteousness that theirs will be a great r eward" (Al-Israa', The Journey by Night, 17:9) "And We have indeed simplified [the comprehension of] this Qur'an for remembranc e, so is there any that will remember [and be admonished]?" (Al-Qamar, The Moon 54:17) ******************************************************************* An Introduction to the Qur'an http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=207:an-introdu ction-to-the-quran&catid=45:the-noble-quran-koran&Itemid=193 A very short article describing the Qur'aan "Indeed the Book of Allah is a deep and profound ocean (of knowledge and wisdom) and understanding it is a fine and delicate matter. No one can understand it co rrectly save one who has excelled in the (Islamic) sciences and acts with taqwaa (fear and reverence) of Allah both in the secret and in the open and is preserv ed from doubts and deviancy. No one can truly understand the Qur`an except for o ne who pays devout attention with his heart present." - al-Burhaan (2/154) of az -Zarkashee" The Book of Allah containing His Words revealed to the Trusted One on the Earth, Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him), through the medium of the Trusted One in the Heaven, Jibraa`eel (the Angel Gabriel). It was reveale d piecemeal to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) over a period of twenty-three years and some months. Allaah says, "We have rehearsed it to you gradually in well-arranged stages." [al-Furqaan, Th e Criterion 25:32] The first revelation which the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu received was, alayhi wa sallam)

"Read in the name of your Lord Who created. Created man from a clot (of coagulat ed blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous." [al-`Alaq, The Clot 96:1-3 ] The last verse to be revealed after which no further verses containing new rules and regulations were revealed was, "This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you a nd have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [al-Maa`idah, The Table Spread w

ith Food 5:4] The last verse to be revealed was, "And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every soul shall be paid what it earned and none shall be dealt with unjustly." [al-Baqarah, The Cow 2:281] The Qur`aa was collected under the auspices of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) in an order different from the chronological order of revelation. It consists of one hundred and fourteen chapters commencing with the chapter, al-Faatihah (The Opening) and ending with an-Naas (Mankind). "Indeed the Book of Allah is a deep and profound ocean (of knowledge and wisdom) and understanding it is a fine and delicate matter. No one can understand it co rrectly save one who has excelled in the (Islaamic) sciences and acts with taqwa a of Allah both in the secret and in the open and is preserved from doubts and d eviancy. No one can truly understand the Qur`aan except for one who pays devout attention with his heart present." - al-Burhaan [2/154] of az-Zarkashee "The foundation for studying the meaning of the Qur`aan is to ponder and reflect . Know that the one reflecting can never attain true understanding of the Revela tion and neither will the secrets of knowledge be manifested to him if his heart contains innovation or he persists in committing a sin, or his heart contains a rrogance, or submission to his base desires, or love of this world, or he has no t realised the reality of faith, or his faith is weak, or he bases his understan ding only upon what his intellect comprehends. All of these factors serve as bar riers from understanding the Qur`an and some are more severe than others." al-Bur haan [2/180-181] ****************************************************************************** Do you know this Book? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=208:do-you-kno w-this-book&catid=45:the-noble-quran-koran&Itemid=193 Throughout history many have tried to scrutinise and search the Qur'an for mista kes and errors. To this day no one has been able to bring a shred of proof showi ng that this book is not from Allaah. Some Christians have even called it the wo rk of the Devil because the book affected them so much when they read it! "Throughout history many have tried to scrutinise and search the Qur'an for mist akes and errors. To this day no one has been able to bring a shred of proof show ing that this book is not from Allaah. Some Christians have even called it the w ork of the Devil because the book affected them so much when they read it!" Of all the acclaimed masterpieces that the world has seen, nothing can be compar ed to the book known as the Qur'an. Millions have become Muslims upon simply hea ring a verse from this amazing book, yet still the majority knows nothing of it. The Qur'an is the Final Revelation from the Creator to humanity. It was reveale d in the year 610 CE to the Prophet Muhammed (saws), and completed over a period of 23 years. These 23 years of revelation resulted in a book which comprised of 114 chapters and 6,666 verses. All of this was to become the primary source of law for the whole of mankind to live and die by. The impact of this book is such that Allah says : "Had We[1] revealed this Qur'an upon a mountain, surely you would have seen it h umble itself and crumble out of the fear of Allah. Such are the parables We put

forward to mankind so that they may reflect" (Al-Hashr, The Gathering 59:21) However, it seems as if the hearts of the people have become harder then the mou ntains which tower above us. When the Qur'an is recited or even mentioned, peopl e turn away with disgust. In the West, this is primarily due to the negative exp osure from the media. It has resulted in many non-Muslims not even wanting to he ar the name of this amazing book. Muslims too, have become hardhearted because o f the cultural influences of the West. Many young Muslims perceive the Qur'an to be nothing more then an old wrapped up book, which comes off the highest shelf once a year during Ramadan! If people were to truly reflect upon this book, they would realise that nothing in this world is quite the same. So why should this claim be accepted over other s? Why should the Qur'an be given precedence over the likes of the Bible, the Gi ta[2] or the Granth Sahib[3] ? The following reasons will inshAllaah give an ind ication as to why this book deserves the attention of all humanity. Preservation "There is probably in the world no other book which has remained twelve centurie s with so pure a text". Writing 200 years ago, these are the words of the famous English critic of Islam, Sir William Muir. But as Muslims we do not need Willia rn Muir to tell us this. 1400 years ago, the Muslims accepted this reality when Allaah revealed to them: "Indeed it is We who have sent down the reminder (the Qur'an), and indeed it is Us who shall preserve it" (Al-Hijr, The Rocky Tract 15:9) These words have proved true to this very day. From the moment the first words w ere revealed to Muhammed (peace be upon him), to this very day, every single let ter and word of the Qur'an has remained unchanged. Before Islam, all the revelations sent were not given this divine assurance. Thi s is why we find that books like the Bible are riddled with corruption and inacc uracies. It is well known that man has tampered with the Bible to the extent tha t annually different versions are produced to suit trends and desires[4]. In fac t this has been going on for so long that it is almost impossible to see what of the words of the Creator are left, if any! With the Qur'an it is the exact opposite. The contents of this amazing book are stored in the hearts of millions of Muslims worldwide. Children as young as 12 h ave memorised the entire book in its original language, Arabic. There is no othe r religious scripture on earth which is orally preserved in its original languag e by so many and over such a period of time, without having been tampered somewh ere along the line. The Bible is a prime example of this. Many Christians believ e that English is the divine language of the Bible. However Jesus spoke Aramaic. From Aramaic, his life-story was translated into Hebrew. From Hebrew it was tra nslated into Greek. From Greek to Latin, and then finally from Latin to English! There has not been a single vicar, priest or layman in recorded history who has even memorised the Bible in English, let alone the Aramaic! As Muslims we belie ve the Qur'an can only be in the language it was revealed in, i.e. Arabic. Anyth ing else is a translation and not the divine words of the Creator. A true test o f this divine preservation would be to burn all the books and manuscripts in exi stence, to see which can return as it was. The Qur'an would be the only book whi ch would return in its original form, letter for letter, word for word. Many Christians say that the Qur'anic claim of preservation needs to be backed-u p by manuscript evidence. For us this is not a necessary criteria, but in order to quell the doubts, the Muslims have ample proof. Two copies of the Qur'an are

in existence which date back to the Third Caliph Uthmaan, 20 years after the dea th of the Prophet (peace be upon him). These two copies are to be found in the T opkapi museum, Istanbul, Turkey and in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The Tashkent copy i s thought to have been the personal copy of the Caliph as it still contains stai ns of his blood, which was shed when he was murdered whilst reading it. Any copy of the Qur'an which is compared to these copies, will show that there is not a single difference between what we have today and what was in existence 1400 year s ago. Thus Allah's promise holds true. No Mistakes Man as a creature is fallible. For this reason anything which is produced by him will naturally have faults. With the Qur'an, such a notion cannot even be consi dered as it is from the one who is Infallible. In fact Allah clarifies this matt er beautifully when he says: "Do they not consider the Qur'an? Had it been from other then Allaah surely they would have found much discrepancies within it" (An-Nisa, The Women, 4:82) Throughout history many have tried to scrutinise and search the Qur'an for mista kes and errors. To this day no one has been able to bring a shred of proof showi ng that this book is not from Allaah. Some Christians have even called it the wo rk of the Devil because the book affected them so much when they read it! With o ther scriptures, contradictions, mistakes and absurdities are constantly present . When people contrast these ambiguities with the Qur'an, it often results in th e acceptance of this faultless book. The Arabic Language Upon hearing Qur'anic recitation, you may be rather startled. Besides hearing th e reciter of the prayer, you often hear people in the background sobbing and wai ling heavily. So what is it that makes these people cry so much? It is nothing m ore then the beauty and eloquence of this book which moves millions to tears. Th is beauty is expressed in the language of Arabic. Allah says : "Indeed We have revealed this as an Arabic Qur'an so that you may understand" (Y usuf, Joseph 12:2) At the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) three modes of expression were us ed. There was normal speech, the speech of the soothsayer and poetry. The Arabs were the masters of their language, and poetry was their cultural highlight. Ara bic poetry is split into 16 categories, each separate from the other. When the Q ur'an was proclaimed to the Arabs it amazed them beyond all limits. It was like nothing they had ever heard before. It did not fit into the 16 categories of poe try, nor was it the speech of a soothsayer, and it certainly was not normal spee ch. If it was not all these, then it could only be the word of Allah. The eloquence and majesty of the early chapters of the Qur'an moved many to tear s, and the beautiful Qur'anic Arabic converted millions of Arabs in the Middle-E ast. Not only did the Qur'an effect the lives of these Arabs, but it also transf ormed their culture. Even today, no serious study of the Arabic language is poss ible without reference to this book. The reaction of some pagans was that they accused Muhammed (peace be upon him) o f being a soothsayer and a madman. In order to silence them, Allaah issued a cha llenge. At first he asked them to produce a book like the Qur'an. When it could not be done, Allah asked them to produce ten chapters like it. When this too cou ld not be done Allaah finally stated:

"And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our slave, then produce a chapter like it" (Al-Baqarah, The Cow 2:23) The smallest chapter in the Qur'an is only 3 verses long (Chapter 108). The paga ns at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) could not even produce somethi ng as small as this, and since then no one else has completed this impossible ta sk. All of this is in light of the fact that the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) could not read or write, thus refuting those who say that the Qur'an was h is own handiwork. The Qur'an is the Final book of revelation. After it there will be no more. Howe ver, many have tried to deny this by producing their own new versions of the Qur 'an. Among them have been the two false prophets, Musailama[5] and Ghulam Ahmed[ 6]. Many Chapters in the Qur'an are named after animals, such as the Ant, Spider etc. Musailama tried to copy this, and went about creating a chapter in his boo k called the Weasel! In Arabic it is called Al-Wabl and it hardly causes people to be struck in awe! On the other hand Ghulam Ahmed, the 'British stooge', claim ed to receive revelation in cockney English!! Such foolishness could never compa re to the beauty of the Qur'an with its clear and beautiful Arabic language. Science Over the past few decades much interest has been shown in the scientific content of the Qur'an. Scientific data which has been discovered in recent times, has b een existent in this book for 1400 years. In fact the very common origin of this universe is stated clearly by Allah, the Most High: "Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together , then We parted them. And We made from water every living thing. Will they then not believe?" (Al-Anbiya, The Prophets 21:30) This parting of the heavens and the earth is more commonly known to scientists a s the 'big bang'. It is also a fact that life originated from water and that eve ry living cell is composed of 85% water. Without water life is impossible. The mountains of the earth, like icebergs, have roots going deep into the ground . This ensures that they will not topple with their extreme heights - this is kn own as 'isostasy'. In this way the mountains are like the stakes which are used to anchor a tent. But this fact is already known to us when Allaah says: "Have We not made the earth an expanse and the mountains stakes?" (An-Naba, The Great News 78:6-7) and "Allaah has cast into the ground mountains standing firm so that it does not sha ke with you" (Luqman 31:10) The embryological data which is found in the Qur'an is astounding. Allah describ es the formation of a baby inside the womb from the very moment the sperm reache s the ovum, to its formation into a human. This data, which was only discovered about 30 years ago, has amazed many western scientists. Amongst them is Dr Keith Moore from the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr Moore[7] is a recognised autho rity in embryological circles, with his university text book being set as a stan dard text in many universities throughout the world. When Dr Moore was asked as to how this information in the Qur'an could be explained, he replied: "It could only have been divinely revealed".

History The Qur'an is a book of historical accuracy. One accuracy which has corrected th e mistakes of many Christians and historians, is the fate of the pharaoh who dro wned in the Red Sea whilst pursuing Moses. The Biblical story would have us beli eve that the matter ended when the pharaoh drowned. But the Qur'an explains furt her. When he was drowning the pharaoh confessed his faith in Allaah. But it was too late, and Allah promised him: "This day We shall preserve you in your body, so that you may be a sign for thos e who come after you. But indeed many of mankind are heedless of Our signs" (Yun us, Jonah 10:92) In 1898 the tombs of various pharaohs were discovered in the Valley of the Kings , in Egypt. In 1975 Dr Maurice Bucaille, an eminent French surgeon was allowed t o examine the mummified bodies of Rameses II and the pharaoh who had pursued Mos es - Merneptah. Dr Bucaille discovered that Merneptah had received very violent blows to several parts of his body and had suffered a massive heart attack. Amaz ingly, these are the results which occur when someone dies from drowning! Thus A llah had saved the body of the transgressing pharaoh as a sign for all humanity. For those who say that Muhammed (saws) knew his history and wrote it in the Qur' an, the following shall prove otherwise. In the year 615 CE the Roman army was d efeated by the Persians. About this event Allah revealed: "The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but in a few years they shall be victorious again, within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, be fore and after, is only with Allaah" (Ar-Rum, The Romans 30:24) The words of Allaah proved true as the Persians were defeated at the battle of I ssus, 7 years later in 622 CE. There is no possible way that Muhammed (peace be upon him) could have known (if he wrote the Qur'an) that the Romans would be vic torious. In fact he also did not know that the 'lowest land' at which the battle was fought was literally that. The battle in 615 CE was fought on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point below sea level on earth, at 1300 ft. A book with these credentials could only be from the Creator of the heavens and the earth. A book which we need to acquaint ourselves with. A book . . . ". . . which has been revealed to you (O' Muhammed) so that you may lead mankind out of the darkness and into the light" (lbrahim, Abraham 14:1) Endnotes: 1 The word 'WE' does not mean that there is more then one God. Rather it is a pl ural of respect which gives Allaah grandeur over his creation. 2 The Baghyad Gita is one of the Hindu scriptures. 3 The Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikh scripture 4 The most recent version of the Bible is the 'Politically Correct Version'!! 5 Musailama claimed prophethood just before the death of the Prophet Muhammed (s aws). He was from the region of Yamaamah in Arabia and from the tribe of Haneefa h. 6 Ghulam Ahmed was born in 1840 in Qadian, India. He claimed prophethood at the request of his imperialist masters, the British Government. 7 Besides Dr Moore, there have been many other famous Western scientists who hav e accepted Islam. One of the most prominent was the famous French oceanographer, Jacques Yves Cousteau who has recently passed away. Cousteau was amazed at the

accuracy of the Qur'anic statements regarding underwater activity and thus embra ced Islam. As a result of his death, Cousteau's life achievements have been high lighted in the Western media. However his acceptance of Islam was conveniently a bsent from the news-reports. *************************************************************************** Why Allah sent Prophets and Messengers ? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=216:why-allahsent-prophets-and-messengers&catid=49:the-message-of-all-the-prophets&Itemid=167 Allah sent Prophets and Messengers to every generation to guide mannkind astraig ht, away from polytheistic and pagan disbelief, returning back to the straight p ath, that of worshipping God alone and establishing the laws of the Creator and his Prophets and Messengers, in order to bring about an upright and moral societ y 'divinely guided' by the Perfect One. "And to worship Allah means to obey Him and to do all that He has ordained, - an d to fear Him by abstaining from all that He has forbidden." Ever since people innovated the dogma of joining others in worship along with Al lah, Allah had been sending Prophets and Messengers to His devotees in order to invite them to the worship of Allah and Allah Alone, to order them not to ascrib e partners unto Him and bring them out of the darkness of polytheism and into th e light of Monotheism. All the Prophets preached the belief in the Oneness of Al lah. The following verses from the Noble Qur'an illustrate this fact: "Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people and he said: 'O my people! Worship Al lah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a g reat Day!'" (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:59) "And to 'Aad (people, We sent) their brother Hood. He said: 'O my people! Worshi p Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Will you not fear (Allah)?'" (Al-A'araaf , The Heights 7:65) "And to (the people of) Madyaan (Midian), (We sent) their brother Shu'ayb. He sa id: 'O my People! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ila aha ill Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unto you, so give full measure and full wei ght and wrong not men in their things, and do not make mischief on the earth aft er it has been set in order, that will be better for you, if you are believers.' " (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:85) "And to Thamood (people, We sent) their brother Saalih. He said: 'O my people! W orship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah, non e has the right to be worshipped but Allah).'" (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:73) "And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (pro claiming): Worship Allah (Alone) and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all fal se deities etc. do not worship Taaghoots besides Allah)." (An-Nahl, The Bee 16:3 6) Every Prophet was sent unto his own nation for their guidance, but the Message o f Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam - peace be upon him) was general for all mankind and jinn (a being created from smokeless flames). "Say [O Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)]: 'O mankind! Verily, I am sent t

o you all as the Messenger of Allah.'" (Al-A'araaf, The Heights 7:158) So the aim of sending these Prophets and Messengers to mankind and jinn was only that they should worship Allah Alone, as Allah said: "And I (Allah) created not the jinn and men except they should worship Me (Alone )" (Adh-Dhaariyaat, The Winds that Scatter 51:56) And to worship Allah means to obey Him and to do all that He has ordained, - and to fear Him by abstaining from all that He has forbidden. Then those who will o bey Allaah will be rewarded in Paradise, and those who will disobey Him will be punished in the Hell-fire. *************************************************************************** Moses, Jesus & Muhammad - Three Men, One Message http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=215:moses-jesu s-a-muhammad-three-men-one-message&catid=49:the-message-of-all-the-prophets&Item id=167 Islam accepts, appreciates and reveres all three of these noble Prophets and Mes sengers, accepts all of the revealed scripture (in its original form) and Muslim s make no distinction between them. There message was the same, their religion, one religion, that of Islam - the submission to Allah (the One true God) alone. Modern-day Jews reject Jesus (as a Prophet and Messenger), modern-day Christians accept Moses as a Prophet and Messenger, elevate Jesus beyond his noble status (taking him as a deity) and reject Muhammad. Islam accepts, appreciates and reve res all three of these noble Prophets and Messengers, accepts all of the reveale d scripture (in its original form) and Muslims make no distinction between them. There message was the same, their religion, one religion, that of Islam - the s ubmission to Allah (the One true God) alone. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/mjm.mp3 ******************************************************************************* Abraham - A Believer in Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 2&Itemid=199 "Ibrhim (abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Han ifa (Islmic Monotheism - to worship none but Allh Alone) and he was not of Al-Mush rikn (those who worshipped others along with Allh)" (See V.2:105). [Qur'an, 3:67] "And they say, "Be Jews or Christians, then you will be guided." Say (to them, O Muhammad), "Nay, (We follow) only the religion of Ibrhim (abraham), Hanifa [Isla mic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allah (Alone)], and he was not of Al-Mu shrikn (those who worshipped others along with Allh)." [Qur'an, 2:135] ******************************************************************************** Jesus - The Messenger of Allah http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 1&Itemid=200

Allaah mentions, "(Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, All ah gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah." [Qur'an, 3:45] And, "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth. The messiah 'Iesa (Jesus ), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, ( "Be!" - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rh) created by Him; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Ceas e! (it is) better for you. For Allah is (the only) One Ilh (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heave ns and all that is in the earth. And Allh is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affai rs." [Qur'an, 4:171] **************************************************************************** The Likeness of Jesus is as of Adam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=259:the-likene ss-of-jesus-is-as-of-adam&catid=51:jesus-the-messenger-of-allah&Itemid=169 A short article comparing the likeness of Jesus and Adam (Two Prophets of God) "Indeed the likeness of Eesaa (Jesus) before Allaah is as the likeness of Adam. H e created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" and he was. [Aal Imraan: 59 ]" he saying of Allaah the Elevated: {Indeed the likeness of Eesaa (Jesus) before Allaah is as the likeness of Adam. H e created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" and he was. The truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.} [Aal Imraan: 59-60] Eesaa, son of Maryam [Jesus, son of Mary], may prayers and peace be upon him, is a servant and messenger of Allaah in the Islaamic legislation, the Word of Allaa h that He bestowed upon Maryam and a Rooh - spirit from Him. He is a servant [of Allaah] who must not be worshiped, a Messenger [of Allaah] w ho must not be belied. The Jews and Christians have either gone to extremes or d eficiencies concerning him. The Jews were cold and deficient towards him, as they described him as being a b astard child. The Christians on the other hand went to extremes concerning him, by worshiping him alongside Allaah. Allaah created him, with His ability, from Maryam without a father, just as he c reated Adam from earth, He created Hawaa [Eve] from Adam and then created the re st of mankind from both male and female. These are the four categories of creation that mankind is restricted to. Allaah mentioned the creation of Adam and Hawaa and the rest of mankind - except Eesaa in the beginning of Chapter an Nisaa saying: {O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) , and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawaa (Eve)], and from them both He c reated many men and women } [An Nisaa: 1] Allaah then completed [the categories of creation] by creating Eesaa without a ma

le, but this is a lesser category than Adam s creation which was with neither a ma le nor female. For this reason Allaah said: {Indeed the likeness of Eesaa (Jesus) before Allaah is as the likeness of Adam. H e created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" and he was.} [Aal Imraan: 5 9] The creation of Eesaa was with the word Kun - [Be] just as the creation of Adam was with Be . This is what came in the Islaamic legislation and it is the truth withou t doubt, this is why Allaah then said: {The truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.} [Aal He also said the Chapter Maryam: {Such is Eesaa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (It is) a statement of truth about which they doubt (or dispute).} [Maryam: 34-35] Commenting on this verse, ibn Katheer stated: Allaah the Elevated says: {Indeed the likeness of Eesaa (Jesus) before Allaah} In relation to Allaah s ability as he created him without a father {is as the likenes s of Adam.} For Allaah the Glorified created him without a father or mother {He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" and he was. The truth is fro m your Lord}. Therefore the One who created Adam without a father is able to cre ate Eesaa in a simpler fashion. So if it can be claimed that Eesaa is the son of A llaah because he was created without a father, then it can also be claimed that Adam is the son of Allaah for the same reason and more, and it is known with con sensus that this is falsehood, so claiming that Eesaa is the son of Allaah for th is reason is therefore a greater and more apparent falsehood. But the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, wished to show His ability to His creation when he created Adam without a male or female, Hawaa with a male without a female, Eesaa with a f emale but without a male and the rest of mankind from both male and female. Another example of these four categories in the creation of mankind is in the cr eation of the children of Adam, as Allaah blesses some of them with sons, some w ith daughters, some with both sons and daughters and some without either, as All aah said: {To Allaah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offsp ring) upon whom He wills. Or He bestows both males and females, and He renders b arren whom He wills. Verily, He is All-Knower and is Able to do all things.} [As h Shuraa: 49-50] Likewise are the four categories in contentment and misery, amongst mankind are those who are born as believers and die as such, others are born as disbelievers and die as such, some are born as disbelievers and die as believers and others are born as believers and die as disbelievers. The evidence for the latter two c ategories is the Hadeeth of ibn Mas ood where it states: By the One, other than Whom there is no other deity, indeed one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arms length between him and it, and what has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the act ions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it; and indeed one of you per forms the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arms leng th between him and it, and what has been written overtakes him and so he acts wi th the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it. [Narrated by both Bukharee and Muslim] Imraan: 60]

************************************************************************ The True Message of Jesus http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=217:the-true-m essage-of-jesus&catid=51:jesus-the-messenger-of-allah&Itemid=169 Dawud Adib illustrates the true message of Jesus, a message of tawheed (monothei sm). A message no different from those Prophets who preceded him, nor from the o ne who came after (Muhammad). An important point of view, coming from a former C hristian who was studying to become a minister. A two-part lecture series delivered to Muslims and non-Muslims alike in Australi a. Dawud Adib illustrates the true message of Jesus, a message of tawheed (monot heism). A message no different from those Prophets who preceded him, nor from th e one who came after (Muhammad). An important point of view, coming from a forme r Christian who was studying to become a minister. Listen to this Lecture Pt.1... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/jesus.mp3 Listen to this Lecture Pt.2... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/jesus2.mp3 ******************************************************************************* The True Narrative of Jesus the Son of Mary as revealed in the Qur an http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218:the-true-n arrative-of-jesus-the-son-of-mary-as-revealed-in-the-quran&catid=51:jesus-the-me ssenger-of-allah&Itemid=169 A beautiful compilation of Qur'aaic verses depicting the reality of Jesus, the s ervant and messenger of his Creator. "And in their footsteps, We sent 'Eessa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), confirmin g the Taurt (Torah) that had come before him, and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel) , in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Taurt (Torah) that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for Al-Muttaqn (the pious)." [The No ble Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 46]" [The following is the Story of Jesus in translations-of-the-meanings of the vers es of the Noble Qur an] The Noble Qur an is the title of a verse-by-verse translation into English of the Q ur an, and is available from most Islamic bookshops. The Qur'an only exists in the Arabic language and is preserved in the form it was revealed in, consequently a translation into another language is only refered to as a translation-of-the-me anings of the Qur'an, the translation loses some of the meanings and most of the rhythm and style. Allah (Arabic): from a contraction of Al (the) + ILah (god: equivalent to Hebrew : Elh, Alh) meaning the one and only God, pronounced with a deep, stressed, slight ly-rolled double L sound. "And this Qur'n is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allh (Lord of the heavens and the earth), but (on the contrary) it is a confirmation of (the r evelation) which was before it [i.e. the Taurt (Torah), and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.], and a full explanation of the Book (i.e. laws and orders, etc, decreed fo

r mankind) - wherein there is no doubt, from the Lord of the 'Alamn (mankind, jin ns,and all that exists)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Ynus (no.10), Verse 37] "Do they not consider the Qur n carefully? Had it been from other than Allh, they wo uld surely, have found therein many a contradiction." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter An-Nis (no.4), Verse 82]

First mention of Jesus (may the peace and blessings of Allh be upon him) in the Q ur'an "And indeed, We gave Msa (Moses) the Book and followed him up with a succession o f Messengers. And We gave 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), clear signs a nd supported him with Rh-ul-Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant? Some, you disbelieved and some, you killed." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-Baqarah (no.2), Verse 87]

Mention made of some of the Prophets of Allh "And that was Our Proof which We gave Ibrhim (Abraham) against his people. We rai se whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. And We b estowed upon him Ishque (Isaac) and Ya'qb (Jacob), each of them We guided, and bef ore him, We guided Nh (Noah), and among his progeny Dawd (David), Sulaimn (Solomon) , Ayub (Job), Ysuf (Joseph), Msa (Moses), and Hrn (Aaron). Thus do We reward the goo ddoers. And Zakariy (Zachariya), and Yahya (John) and 'Iesa (Jesus) and Iliys (Elia s), each one of them was of the righteous. And Ism'il (Ishmael) and Al-Yas' (Elish a), and Ynus (Jonah) and Lout (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the 'Alamn (mankind and jinns) (of their times)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-An m (no.6), Verse 83-86]

The religion followed by the Messengers was one and the same "He (Allh) has ordained for you the same religion (Islm) which He ordained for Nh ( Noah), and that which We have inspired in you (O Muhammad (may the peace and ble ssings of Allh be upon him)), and that which We ordained for Ibrahm (Abraham), Msa (Moses) and 'Iesa (Jesus) saying you should establish religion (i.e. to do what it orders you to do practically), and make no divisions in it (religion) (i.e. v arious sects in religion). Intolerable for the Mushrikn [Those who worship others along with Allh], is that to which you (O Muhammad) call them. Allh chooses for H imself whom He wills, and guides unto Himself (he) who turns to Him in repentanc e and in obedience." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Ash-Shra (no.42), Verse 13] "Say (O Muhammad): "We believe in Allh and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrhim (Abraham), Ism'il (Ishmael), Ishque (Isaac), Ya'qb (Jac ob) and Al-Asbt [the twelve sons of Ya'qb (Jacob)] and what was given to Msa (Moses ), 'Iesa (Jesus) and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction betwee n one another among them and to Him (Allh) we have submitted (in Islm)." ( ) And w hoever seeks a religion other than Islm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. ( ) How shall Allh guide a people wh o disbelieved after their belief and after they bore witness that the Messenger

(Muhammad) is true and after clear proofs had come unto them? And Allh guides not the people who are Zlimn (polytheists and wrong-doers)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter l- I mrn (no.3), Verse 84-86]

What was this message? "And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (pro claiming): "Worship Allh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tght (all false dei ties, etc. i.e. do not worship Tght besides Allh)." Then of them were some whom Allh guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel th rough the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth)." [The N oble Qur n, Chapter An-Nahl (no.16), Verse 36]

Summary of Allh's message sent first to the Jews then to the Christians and then to the Muslims "Indeed Allh took the covenant from the Children of Israel (Jews), and We appoint ed twelve leaders among them. And Allh said: "I am with you if you perform As-Salt (Iqmat-as-Salt [establish the prayer]) and give Zakt [compulsory religious charity ] and believe in My Messengers; honour and assist them, and lend to Allh a good l oan. Verily, I will remit your sins and admit you to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise). But if any of you after this, disbelieved, he has indeed gon e astray from the Straight Path." So because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from thei r (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. B ut forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily, Allh loves AlMuhsinn (gooddo ers - see V.2:112). And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant, but they have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to t hem. So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection ( when they discarded Allh's Book, disobeyed Allh's Messengers and His Orders and tr ansgressed beyond bounds in Allh's disobedience), and Allh will inform them of wha t they used to do. O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad) explaining to you much of that which you used t o hide from the Scripture and passing over (i.e. leaving out without explaining) much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allh a light (Prophet Muhammad) and a p lain Book (this Qur'n). Wherewith Allh guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islmic Monotheism). Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allh is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary). Say (O Muhammad): "Who t hen has the least power against Allh, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of M aryam (Mary), his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?" And to A llh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between th em. He creates what He wills. And Allh is Able to do all things. And (both) the J ews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allh and His loved ones." Say : "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is bet ween them, and to Him is the return (of all). O people of the Scripture (Jews an d Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad) making (things) clea r unto you, after a break in (the series of) Messengers, lest you say: "There ca me unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner." But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner. And Allh is Able to do all things." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 12-19]

Allh's covenant with His Prophets "And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O M uhammad), and from Nh (Noah), Ibrhim (Abraham), Msa (Moses), and 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). We took from them a strong covenant. That He may ask the trut hfuls (Allh's Messengers and His Prophets) about their truth (i.e. the conveyance of Allh's Message that which they were charged with). And He has prepared for th e disbelievers a painful torment (Hell-fire)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-Ahzb (no .33), Verse 7-8] The ones who truly believe in Allh and his Messengers, strive to obey him. While those who reject belief are deceived by the wealth and the possessions of this s hort life. "O (you) Messengers! Eat of the Taiyibt [all kinds of Hall (legal) foods which Allh has made legal (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, veget ables, fruits, etc.], and do righteous deeds. Verily! I am Well-Acquainted with what you do. And verily! This your religion (of Islmic Monotheism) is one religi on, and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me. But they (men) have broken the ir religion among them into sects, each group rejoicing in its belief. So leave them in their error for a time. Do they think that We enlarge them in wealth and children, We hasten unto them with good things (in this worldly life so that th ey will have no share of good things in the Hereafter)? Nay, but they perceive n ot. Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; And those who believe in the Ayt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of the ir Lord, And those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord; And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other goo d deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning). It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in th em [e.g. offering the compulsory Salt (prayers) in their (early) stated, fixed ti mes and so on]. And We tax not any person except according to his capacity, and with Us is a Record which speaks the truth, and they will not be wronged. Nay, b ut their hearts are covered (blind) from understanding this (the Qur'n), and they have other (evil) deeds, besides, which they are doing. Until, when We grasp th ose of them who lead a luxurious life with punishment, behold! They make humble invocation with a loud voice. Invoke not loudly this day! Certainly, you shall not be helped by Us. Indeed My Verses used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels (denying them, and with hatred to listen to them). In p ride (they Quraish pagans and polytheists of Makkah used to feel proud that they are the dwellers of Makkah sanctuary Haram), talking evil about it (the Qur'n) b y night." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-Mu minn (no.23), Verse 51-67]

The mission of Jesus "And in their footsteps, We sent 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), confirming the Taurt (Torah) that had come before him, and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Taurt (Torah) that had c ome before it, a guidance and an admonition for Al-Muttaqn (the pious)." [The Nob le Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 46]

The endurance of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad "And (remember) when Msa (Moses) said to his people: "O my people! Why do you hur

t me while you know certainly that I am the Messenger of Allh to you? So when the y turned away (from the Path of Allh), Allh turned their hearts away (from the Rig ht Path). And Allh guides not the people who are Fsiqn (rebellious, disobedient to Allh). And (remember) when 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: "O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allh unto you confirming the Taurt [(Torah) whic h came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whos e name shall be Ahmed. But when he (Ahmed i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: "This is plain magic." And who does more wrong than the one who invents a lie against Allh, while he is being invited to Islm? And Allh guides not the people who are Zlimn (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers) folk. The y intend to put out the Light of Allh (i.e. the religion of Islm, this Qur'n, and P rophet Muhammad) with their mouths. But Allh will complete His Light even though the disbelievers hate (it). He it is Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islmic Monotheism) to make it victorious over all (other) religions even though the Mushrikn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allh and in His Messenger Muhammed) hate (it). O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a pa inful torment. That you believe in Allh and His Messenger (Muhammad), and that yo u strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allh with your wealth and your lives, tha t will be better for you, if you but know! (If you do so) He will forgive you yo ur sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwelli ng in Gardens of 'Adn Eternity ['Adn (Edn) Paradise], that is indeed the great s uccess." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter As-Saff (no.61), Verse 5-12]

The upbringing of Maryam (Mary) and the blessing she received due to the supplic ation of her mother "(Remember) when the wife of 'Imrn said: "O my Lord! I have vowed to You what (th e child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services (free from all wor ldly work; to serve Your Place of worship), so accept this, from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing." Then when she delivered her [child Maryam (Mary)], she said: "O my Lord! I have delivered a female child," - and Allh knew better what she delivered, - "And the male is not like the female, and I have n amed her Maryam (Mary), and I seek refuge with You (Allh) for her and for her off spring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast." So her Lord (Allh) accepted her with g oodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care o f Zakariy (Zachariya). Every time he entered Al-Mihrb to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got th is?" She said, "This is from Allh." Verily, Allh provides sustenance to whom He wi lls, without limit." At that time Zakariy (Zachariya) invoked his Lord, saying: " O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation." Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in AlMihrb (a praying place or a private room), (saying): "Allh gives you glad tidings of Yahya (John), confirming (believing in) the Word from Allh [i.e. the creation of 'Iesa (Jesus), the Word from Allh ("Be!" - and he was!)], noble, keeping away from sexual relations with women, a Prophet, from among the righteous." He said: "O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren?" Al lh said: "Thus Allh does what He wills." He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me. " Allh said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days exc ept with signals. And remember your Lord much (by praising Him again and again), and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning." And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allh has chosen you, purified you (from p olytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the 'Alamn (mankind a nd jinns) (of her lifetime)." O Mary! "Submit yourself with obedience to your L ord (Allh, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and Irk'i (b ow down etc.) along with Ar-Rki'n (those who bow down etc.)." This is a part of th e news of the Ghaib (unseen, i.e. the news of the past nations of which you have no knowledge) which We inspire you with (O Muhammad). You were not with them (t

he angels), when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be ch arged with the care of Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they disputed. (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allh gives you the gl ad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam ( Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam ( Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of tho se who are near to Allh." "He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manho od, and he will be one of the righteous." She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allh creates wh at He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" and it is. And He (Allh) will teach him ['Iesa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Su nnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom, etc.), (and) the Taurt (Torah ) and the Injeel (Gospel). And will make him ['Iesa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, tha t I design for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe in to it, and it becomes a bird by Allh's Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allh's Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for y ou, if you believe. And I have come confirming that which was before me of the T aurt (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allh and obey me. Truly! Al lh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path. Then when 'Iesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: "Who will be m y helpers in Allh's Cause?" Al-Hawrin (the disciples) said: "We are the helpers of Allh; we believe in Allh, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allh)." Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messen ger ['Iesa (Jesus)]; so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth i.e. L ilha ill-Allh - none has the right to be worshipped but Allh). And they (d isbelievers) plotted [to kill 'Iesa (Jesus)], and Allh planned too. And Allh is th e Best of the planners." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter l- Imrn (no.3), Verse 35-54]

The creation of Jesus, his birth and the first miracle of defending his mother, Mary, from slander "And mention in the Book (the Qur'n, O Muhammad), the story of Maryam (Mary), whe n she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibrae l (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. S he said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allh) from you, if you do fear Allh." (The angel) said: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to annou nce) to you the gift of a righteous son." She said: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?" He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: 'That is easy for Me (Allh): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mank ind and a mercy from Us (Allh), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allh).'" So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles from Jerusalem). And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: "Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!" Then [the babe 'Iesa (Jesus) or Jibrael (Gab riel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not! Your Lord has provide d a water stream under you; "And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it wi ll let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you." "So eat and drink and be glad, and if yo u see any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Beneficen t (Allh) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.'" Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: "O Mary! Indeed you have bro ught a thing Fariya (an unheard mighty thing). "O sister (i.e. the like) of Hrn (A aron) [not the brother of Msa (Moses), but he was another pious man at the time o f Maryam (Mary)]! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor you r mother was an unchaste woman." Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we

talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" "He ['Iesa (Jesus)] said: Verily! I am a slave of Allh, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;" "And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salt (prayer), and Zakt (charity), as long as I live." "And dutiful to my mother, and made me not ar rogant, unblest. "And Salm (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!" Such is 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (it is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute). It be fits not (the Majesty of) Allh that He should beget a son [this refers to the sla nder of Christians against Allh, by saying that 'Iesa (Jesus) is the son of Allh]. Glorified (and Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). When He d ecrees a thing, He only says to it, "Be!" and it is. ['Iesa (Jesus) said]: "And verily Allh is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straigh t Path. (Allh's Religion of Islmic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His P rophets)." [Tafsir At-Tabar] Then the sects differed [i.e. the Christians about ' Iesa (Jesus)], so woe unto the disbelievers [those who gave false witness by say ing that 'Iesa (Jesus) is the son of Allh] from the meeting of a great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection, when they will be thrown in the blazing Fire). How clea rly will they (polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allh) see and hear, the Day when they will appear before Us! But the Zalimn (polytheists and wrong-d oers) today are in plain error. And warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of grief and regrets, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not. Verily! We will inherit the earth and whatso ever is thereon. And to Us they all shall be returned," [The Noble Qur n, Chapter M aryam (no.19), Verse 16-40]

A severe admonition to those who changed the Message of Jesus after his ascensio n "And when 'Iesa (Jesus) came with (Our) clear Proofs, he said: "I have come to y ou with Al-Hikmah (Prophethood), and in order to make clear to you some of the ( points) in which you differ, therefore fear Allh and obey me, "Verily, Allh! He is my Lord (God) and your Lord (God). So worship Him (Alone). This is the (only) S traight Path (i.e. Allh's religion of true Islmic Monotheism)." But the sects from among themselves differed. So woe to those who do wrong (by ascribing things to 'Iesa (Jesus) that are not true) from the torment of a painful Day (i.e. the Da y of Resurrection)! Do they only wait for the Hour that it shall come upon them suddenly, while they perceive not? Friends on that Day will be foes one to anoth er except Al-Muttaqn (pious - see V.2:2). (It will be said to the true believers of Islmic Monotheism): My worshippers! No fear shall be on you this Day, nor shal l you grieve, (You) who believed in Our Ayt (proofs, verses, lessons, signs, reve lations, etc.) and were Muslims (i.e. who submit totally to Allh's Will, and beli eve in the Oneness of Allh - Islmic Monotheism). Enter Paradise, you and your wive s, in happiness. Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them, (there will b e) therein all that the one's inner-selves could desire, all that the eyes could delight in, and you will abide therein forever. This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do (in the lif e of the world). Therein for you will be fruits in plenty, of which you will eat (as you desire). Verily, the Mujrimn (criminals, sinners, disbelievers, etc.) wi ll be in the torment of Hell to abide therein forever. (The torment) will not b e lightened for them, and they will be plunged into destruction with deep regret s, sorrows and in despair therein. We wronged them not, but they were the Zlimn ( polytheists, wrong-doers, etc.). And they will cry: "O Malik (Keeper of Hell)! L et your Lord make an end of us." He will say: "Verily you shall abide forever." Indeed We have brought the truth (Muhammad with the Qur'n), to you, but most of y ou have a hatred for the truth." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Az-Zukhruf (no.43), Vers e 63-78]

Some of the miracles of Jesus mentioned again "(Remember) when Allh will say (on the Day of Resurrection). "O 'Iesa (Jesus), so n of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your mother when I supporte d you with RhulQudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)] so that you spoke to the people in the cra dle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, AlHikmah (the power of unders tanding), the Taurt (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel); and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permissi on; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers amon g them said: 'This is nothing but evident magic.'"" [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-M ida h (no.5), Verse 110]

How Allh, the Most High, saved Jesus from crucifixion by ascension "And they (disbelievers) plotted [to kill 'Iesa (Jesus)], and Allh planned too. A nd Allh is the Best of the planners. And (remember) when Allh said: "O 'Iesa (Jesu s)! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged stateme nt that 'Iesa (Jesus) is Allh's son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make tho se who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allh) superior to those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allh, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad, 'Iesa (Jesus), Msa (Moses), etc., or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurt (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Qur'n] till the Day of Resurrection. Then you w ill return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used t o dispute." "As to those who disbelieve, I will punish them with a severe tormen t in this world and in the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers." And as for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allh) and do righteous good deeds, Allh will pay them their reward in full. And Allh does not like the Zlimn (polytheists and w rong-doers). This is what We recite to you (O Muhammad) of the Verses and the W ise Reminder (i.e. the Qur'n). Verily, the likeness of 'Iesa (Jesus) before Allh i s the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter l- Imrn (no.3), Verse 54-60]

"And because of their saying (in boast), "We killed Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son o f Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allh," - but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of 'Iesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they ki lled that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (c ertain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed h im not [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]: ( ) But Allh raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). A nd Allh is Ever AllPowerful, AllWise." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter An-Nis (no.4), Verse 1 7-158]

The fallacy of the attribution of divinity to Jesus and his Mother "Surely, they have disbelieved who say: "Allh is the Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary)." But the Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)] said: "O Children of Israel! Worship Allh, my Lord and your Lord." Verily, whosoever sets up partners in wors hip with Allh, then Allh has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zlimn (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers. Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allh is the third of the three (in a Trinity). " But there is no ilh (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilh

(God -Allh). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them. Will they not repent to Allh and ask His Forgiveness? For Allh is OftForgiving, Most Merciful. The Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)] , son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers t hat passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddiqah [i.e. she believed in the words of Allh and His Books]. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allh does not eat). Look how We make the Ayt (proofs, evi dences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how t hey are deluded away (from the truth)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Ve rse 72-75]

Jesus is not the son of God but instead is His creation (like Adam) "Verily, the likeness of 'Iesa (Jesus) before Allh is the likeness of Adam. He cr eated him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" - and he was. (This is) the t ruth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt. Then whoever disputes with yo u concerning him ['Iesa (Jesus)] after (all this) knowledge that has come to you , [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus)] being a slave of Allh, and having no share in Divinity) sa y: (O Muhammad) "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your wo men, ourselves and yourselves - then we pray and invoke (sincerely) the Curse of Allh upon those who lie." Verily! This is the true narrative [about the story o f 'Iesa (Jesus)], and, L ilha ill-Allh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allh , the One and the Only True God, Who has neither a wife nor a son). And indeed, Allh is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. And if they turn away (and do not accept th ese true proofs and evidences), then surely, Allh is All-Aware of those who do mi schief. Say (O Muhammad): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allh, and th at we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as l ords besides Allh. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslim s."" [The Noble Qur n, Chapter l- Imrn (no.3), Verse 59-64]

Jesus did not teach the people to worship him, but the people deified him after his ascension "And (remember) when Allh will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O 'Iesa (Jesus) , son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two g ods besides Allh?' " He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known i t. You know what is in my innerself though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen. "Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allh) did command me to say: 'Worship Allh, m y Lord and your Lord.' And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things. (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world). "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them , verily You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." Allh will say: "This is a Day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are Gardens unde r which rivers flow (in Paradise) - they shall abide therein forever. Allh is ple ased with them and they with Him. That is the great success (Paradise). To Allh b elongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is therein, and He is Able to do all things." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 116-120]

The lies of the people who tampered with the scriptures after the ascension of J esus

"They (Jews, Christians and pagans) say: "Allh has begotten a son (children)." Gl ory be to Him! He is Rich (Free of all wants). His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. No warrant you have for this. Do you say against Allh what you know not. Say: "Verily, those who invent a lie against Allh will nev er be successful" A brief enjoyment in this world! - and then unto Us will be th eir return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve [in Allh, belie His Messengers, deny and challenge His Ayt (proofs, signs, verses, etc.)]." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Ynus (no.10), Verse 68-70] "And they (Jews, Christians and pagans) say: Allh has begotten a son (children or offspring). Glory be to Him (Exalted be He above all that they associate with H im). Nay, to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth, and all surren der with obedience (in worship) to Him. The Originator of the heavens and the ea rth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it : "Be!" - and it is." [The Nob le Qur n, Chapter Al-Baqarah (no.2), Verse 116-117] "And they say: "The Most Beneficent (Allh) has begotten a son (or children)." Glo ry to Him! They [those whom they call children of Allh i.e. the angels, 'Iesa (Je sus) son of Maryam (Mary), 'Uzair (Ezra), etc.], are but honoured slaves. They s peak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command. He knows what is befo re them, and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him. And if any of them sh ould say: "Verily, I am an ilh (a god) besides Him (Allh)," such a one We should r ecompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the Zlimn (polytheists and wrong-doers, et c.)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-Anbiy (no.21), Verse 26-29] "And they say: "The Most Beneficent (Allh) has begotten a son (or offspring or ch ildren) [as the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allh, and the Christians sa y that He has begotten a son ['Iesa (Christ)], and the pagan Arabs say that He h as begotten daughters (angels, etc.)]." Indeed you have brought forth (said) a t errible evil thing. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, That they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Beneficent (Allh). But it is not suitable for (the Majes ty of) the Most Beneficent (Allh) that He should beget a son (or offspring or chi ldren). There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Benef icent (Allh) as a slave. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resur rection (without any helper, or protector or defender). Verily, those who believ e [in the Oneness of Allh and in His Messenger (Muhammad)] and work deeds of righ teousness, the Most Beneficent (Allh) will bestow love for them (in the hearts of the believers)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Maryam (no.19), Verse 88-96] "Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allh is the Messiah, son of Maryam (M ary). Say (O Muhammad): "Who then has the least power against Allh, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?" And to Allh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the ear th, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And Allh is Able to d o all things." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 17] "And the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allh, and the Christians say: Mess iah is the son of Allh. That is a saying from their mouths. They imitate the sayi ng of the disbelievers of old. Allh's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth! They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allh (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allh), and (the y also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and C hristians) were commanded [in the Taurt (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] to worsh ip none but One Ilh (God - Allh) L ilha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipp ed but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partne

rs they associate (with Him)." They (the disbelievers, the Jews and the Christia ns) want to extinguish Allh's Light (with which Muhammad has been sent - Islmic Mo notheism) with their mouths, but Allh will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the Kfirn (disbelievers) hate (it). It is He Who has sen t His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islm), to mak e it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikn (polytheists, pagans, i dolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allh) hate (it)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter At-Taubah (no.9), Verse 30-33]

A severe warning from the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, Allh, against the co ncept of 'Trinity' "O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad) with the trut h from your Lord, so believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve , then certainly to Allh belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Al lh is Ever AllKnowing, AllWise. O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allh aught but the truth. The Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allh and His Word, ("Be!" - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rh) created by Him; so believe in Allh and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allh is (the only) One Ilh (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allh is AllSufficient as a Dis poser of affairs. The Messiah will never be proud to reject to be a slave to Allh , nor the angels who are near (to Allh). And whosoever rejects His worship and is proud, then He will gather them all together unto Himself. So, as for those who believed (in the Oneness of Allh - Islmic Monotheism) and did deeds of righteousn ess, He will give their (due) rewards, and more out of His Bounty. But as for th ose who refuse His worship and were proud, He will punish them with a painful to rment. And they will not find for themselves besides Allh any protector or helper ." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter An-Nis (no.4), Verse 170-173]

The miraculous birth of Prophet John (Yahyah) (the Baptist) "(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah) . When he called out to his Lord (Allh) a call in secret, Saying: "My Lord! Indee d my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, And I have ne ver been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord! "And Verily! I fear my rela tives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir, "Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya'qb (Jacob) (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not the wealth, etc.). And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-pleased!" (Allh said) "O Zakariya (Zachariah )! Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son, His name will be Yahya (John). We have given that name to none before (him)." He said: "My Lord! How can I hav e a son, when my wife is barren, and I have reached the extreme old age." He sai d: "So (it will be). Your Lord says; It is easy for Me. Certainly I have created you before, when you had been nothing!" [Zakariya (Zachariah)] said: "My Lord! Appoint for me a sign." He said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak unto man kind for three nights, though having no bodily defect." Then he came out to his people from Al-Mihrb (a praying place or a private room, etc.), he told them by s igns to glorify Allh's Praises in the morning and in the afternoon. (It was said to his son): "O Yahya (John)! Hold fast the Scripture [the Taurt (Torah)]." And W e gave him wisdom while yet a child. And (made him) sympathetic to men as a merc y (or a grant) from Us, and pure from sins [i.e. Yahya (John)] and he was righte ous, And dutiful towards his parents, and he was neither an arrogant nor disobed ient (to Allh or to his parents)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Maryam (no.19), Verse 2

-14]

The table spread with food from Heaven "And when I (Allh) put in the hearts of Al-Hawreen (the disciples) [of 'Iesa (Jesus )] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness t hat we are Muslims." (Remember) when Al-Hawrn (the disciples) said: "O 'Iesa (Jesus ), son of Maryam (Mary)! Can your Lord send down to us a table spread (with food ) from heaven?" 'Iesa (Jesus) said: "Fear Allh, if you are indeed believers." The y said: "We wish to eat thereof and to be stronger in Faith, and to know that yo u have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses." 'Iesa ( Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: "O Allh, our Lord! Send us from heaven a tabl e spread (with food) that there may be for us - for the first and the last of us - a festival and a sign from You; and provide us sustenance, for You are the Be st of sustainers." Allh said: "I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment such as I hav e not inflicted on anyone among (all) the 'Alamn (mankind and jinns)."" [The Nobl e Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 111-115]

The invention of Monasticism long after the ascension of Jesus "And indeed, We sent Nh (Noah) and Ibrahm (Abraham), and placed in their offspring Prophethood and Scripture, and among them there is he who is guided, but many o f them are Fsiqn (rebellious, disobedient to Allh). Then, We sent after them, Our M essengers, and We sent 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), and gave him the Inje el (Gospel). And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion and mercy. But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not p rescribe for them, but (they sought it) only to please Allh therewith, but that t hey did not observe it with the right observance. So We gave those among them wh o believed, their (due) reward, but many of them are Fsiqn (rebellious, disobedien t to Allh). O you who believe [in Msa (Moses) (i.e. Jews) and 'Iesa (Jesus) (i.e. Christians)]! Fear Allh, and believe too in His Messenger (Muhammad), He will giv e you a double portion of His Mercy, and He will give you a light by which you s hall walk (straight), and He will forgive you. And Allh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Me rciful. So that the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) may know that they have no power whatsoever over the Grace of Allh, and that (His) Grace is (en tirely) in His Hand to bestow it on whomsoever He wills. And Allh is the Owner of Great Bounty." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-Hadd (no.57), Verse 26-29] "And when the son of Maryam (Mary) is quoted as an example [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) i s worshipped like their idols), behold! Your people cry aloud (laugh out at the example). And say: "Are our liha (gods) better or is he ['Iesa (Jesus)]?" They qu oted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. [(See V. 21:97-101) - The Qur'n.] He ['Iesa (Jesus)] was not more than a slave. We granted Our Favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel (i.e. his creation without a father)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Az-Zukhr uf (no.43), Verse 57-59]

Jews, Christians and Islm "Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Musli ms) the Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikn [polytheists, pagans etc.], and you wi ll find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say: "We are Ch ristians." That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not

proud. And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what has been se nt down to the Messenger (Muhammad), you see their eyes overflowing with tears b ecause of the truth they have recognised. They say: "Our Lord! We believe; so wr ite us down among the witnesses. "And why should we not believe in Allh and in th at which has come to us of the truth (Islmic Monotheism)? And we wish that our Lo rd will admit us (in Paradise on the Day of Resurrection) along with the righteo us people (Prophet Muhammad and his Companions)." So because of what they said, Allh rewarded them Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise)[i.e. they became true Muslims], they will abide therein forever. Such is the reward of gooddoers. But those who disbelieved and belied Our Ayt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons , signs, revelations, etc.), they shall be the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire." [Th e Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 82-86]

Relationship of Islm and the Qur'n to the previous scriptures

"And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur'n) in truth, confir ming the Scripture that came before it and Mohayminan (trustworthy in highness a nd a witness) over it (old Scriptures). So judge between them by what Allh has re vealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that ha s come to you. To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If A llh willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so strive as in a race in good deeds. The return of you (all) is to Allh; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ. And so judge (you O Muhammad) between them by what Allh has revealed and follow not t heir vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you (O Muhammad) far away f rom some of that which Allh has sent down to you. And if they turn away, then kno w that Allh's Will is to punish them for some sins of theirs. And truly, most of men are Fsiqn (rebellious and disobedient to Allh)." [The Noble Qur n, Chapter Al-M idah (no.5), Verse 48-49] ******************************************************************** Muhammad - The Final Messenger http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 0&Itemid=201 Allah stated in the Qur'an, Say (O Muhammad): "I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God i.e. Allah). So whoeve r hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord." [Qur'an, 18:110] ******************************************************************** A Mercy to all Mankind http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=219:a-mercy-to -all-mankind&catid=50:muhammad-the-final-messenger&Itemid=170 Muhammad was the seal of prophecy, The final messenger of Allah was sent like th ose prophets before him to establish the creed of monotheism and the laws which stem from this perfect belief "And We have not sent you except as a mercy to man kind" (Qur'an 21:107) "With leadership and conquest comes fame but fame did not affect this man whose only aim was to establish the religion of Allah on earth. His position as a Mess enger of Allah was not exaggerated. His insistence on being a mere mortal like o thers was firm. And his desire to single out Allah alone for worship was stresse

d wholeheartedly." "And We have not sent you except as a mercy to mankind" (Al-Anbiyah, The Prophet s 21:107) The year is 570 CE, five years after the death of the Roman Emperor Justinian. A n army of men, horses and elephants ruthlessly march towards the city of Makkah, intending to wipe it out of existence. This is the army of the Abysinnian warlo rd Abraha, who after conquering Yemen is now advancing towards the sacred city o f Makkah. One of the notables of Makkah, Abdul-Muttalib, has ordered all the wom en and children to go up into the mountains and take refuge there whilst the men go and fight. However, the men of Makkah are of no match to the deadly Abysinni an lancers who soon crush their resistance on the borders of the city. Victory seems imminent for Abraha. Yet when the army advances to the fringes of the city, headed by its lead elephant, the creature stops unexpectedly and refus es to go any further towards the direction of Makkah. No amount of budging will make this beast go towards the direction of conquest, yet when the army turn it around, it is more than willing to go back. Suddenly from the distant horizon, a huge flock of birds is seen. Ominously it makes its way to the scene of the bat tle. In their beaks and claws the birds carry with them stones. Like lightning d o they descend upon the confused army of Abraha and pelt them viciously with the stones. The stones start to cut and tear away at the bodies of these aggressors and reduce them to helpless wretches. The army of the tyrant are sent back in h umiliation. It is no less than a miracle which has saved this sacred city.[2] This event was to be remembered by the Arabs as the year of the elephant and was to hold great significance in the balance of power in Arabia. But it was the ev ent which occurred fifty days later in the same year which was not only to be re membered, but would also change the course of history forever. It was on the 12t h day of the month of Rabi-al-Awwal[3], that in the house of Abdul-Muttalib a ch ild was born. It was the child of Amina, the wife of Abdullah, the son of AbdulMuttalib. This was the child who would change the way of life of all those aroun d him. This was the child who would unite all people under one way. This was the child who would bring the great empires of the world to a standstill. This child was Muhammad, the last and final messenger of Allah to mankind. The name Muhammad was given to the child by his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib. The name was one which was known amongst the Arabs at that time but was not common. The literal meaning of Muhammad is 'the praised one', and it is reported that up on being asked why Abdul-Muttalib had named his grandson so, he replied: "I did so with the desire that my grandson would be praised by Allah in Heaven and by m en on earth"[4]. It seems as if the desire of Abdul-Muttalib came true, for it w as the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him) which was to be uttered and praised more times than that of any person in history[5]. In fact it is not only men who praise this remarkable man, but also the Creator of the Heavens and the earth, Allah, and the inhabitants of the heavens, the angels: "Verily Allaah sends blessings upon the prophet, and his angels ask Allaah to bl ess him. Oh you who have believed ask Allaah to send blessings upon him and gree t him with peace" (Al-Ahzab, The Confederates 33:56) The grandson of Abdul-Muttalib was destined to become the greatest man ever to l ive. The early life of Muhammad (peace be upon him) before his prophethood, is unknow n to most people. His life is highlighted by his sublime character and noble man ners. The world of Muhammed, ((peace be upon him) was a world of idolatry, a wor ld in which women and slaves had no rights whatsoever, a world in which men woul

d cheat each other for a few dirhams.[7] However Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not like those around him. He was not k nown to swear or talk in a vile manner, nor was he known to drink or gamble. His honesty surpassed that of all others and he was known with the title of 'Al-Ame en' (The trustworthy). In fact it was this quality of honesty which attracted so many people to his noble message. The nature of the Arabs at the time of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was very bar baric and they would fight over the smallest of things, such as one tribes camel grazing on the land of another tribe. This would often result in wars which wou ld last for years and take thousands of lives. In the year 605 CE the Kaabah was accidentally burnt down and a massive reconstruction programme had to be initia ted. Many people were involved in it's rebuilding. However, upon its completion, the issue of replacing the black stone in its original place, the south east co rner of the Kaabah, arose. Each of the major tribes and clans wanted the honour of placing the black stone in its proper place. Civil war loomed over the Arabia n peninsula. It was then suggested by Abu Ummayah al-Mugheera, one of the elders of Makkah, that the way to settle this dispute was to let the first person to c ome through the mosque's gate the next morning, decide the fate of the matter. L o and behold the first man to enter the mosque the next morning was indeed Muham mad (peace be upon him). Upon seeing him some of the Arabs exclaimed with joy, " here is the trustworthy one, we shall agree to his decision - he is Muhammad". M uhammad (peace be upon him) asked for a sheet or a robe to be brought to him and to have the black stone placed in the middle of it. He then asked the elders of each of the major tribes to lift up the sheet from each of the corners. The eld ers did as they were instructed and took the black stone over to the south east corner. Muhammed (peace be upon him) then took the stone and placed it firmly in its resting place And so it was Muhammad (peace be upon him) who with wisdom an d honesty saved the Arabs from self-destruction.[8] Muhammad's (peace be upon him) early life was wrought with unhappiness as he nev er saw his father Abdullah who died before he was born. At the age of six his mo ther, Amina passed away and he was entrusted into the care of his beloved grandf ather Abdul-Muttalib. However, at the age of twelve, Abdul-Muttalib also passed away and Abu Talib, the uncle of Muhammed (peace be upon him), took charge of hi m. With such distress and heartache so early on in life, one would imagine that this boy would grow up to be rebellious and troublesome, as is the case in so ma ny of our societies today[9]. But this was obviously not to be. It was Abu Talib who then reared and brought him up. Abu Talib was a trader and businessman and he sometimes took his nephew along with him on his trade journey s. It was these trade journeys which eventually formed the alliance between Muha mmad and his future wife Khadija. Khadija was a wealthy widow from Makkah who wa s known for her noble character and morals. Soon Muhammed (peace be upon him) wa s working for Khadija as a manager for her trade caravans. It was his honesty an d efficiency which led to Khadija's proposal, and soon after Muhammed (peace be upon him) had returned from a trade journey to Syria, they were married. It was in the year 610 CE that the prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) received the first revelation. It was the practice of Muhammad (peace be upon him) that he would often go up to the cave of Hira to meditate and pray to Allah alone. On e night during the month of Ramadaan[10] while he was meditating, an angel appea red before him. This was the angel Jibraeel (Eng. Gabriel), the very same angel who had brought down revelation to the earlier prophets of Allah such as Jesus a nd Moses (upon them be peace). ln a thundering voice the angel commanded him "RE AD" . "I cannot read", [11] replied Muhammad honestly. The angel grabbed hold of him and squeezed him so hard that Muhammed thought he would die of suffocation. "READ", the angel commanded again. Muhammad's reply was the same. So the angel squeezed him again and again, each time harder than the previous, and Muhammad r

eplied the same, each time thinking that he would die of suffocation. The angel then released him and spoke the words which would be remembered as the first wor ds of the final revelation to mankind: "Read in the name of you Lord, Who Created. Who Created man out of a clot of blo od. Read, and your Lord is the Most Bountiful. It is He who has taught man the u se of the pen. Taught man that which he did not know." (Al-Alaq, The Clot 96:1-5 ) This was the start of the revelation from Allah to humanity. It was the final in corruptible message by which mankind would have to live by and worship according to. And it was Muhammed (peace be upon him), the son of Abdullah who was chosen to spread this good news. His Noble Character It is the character of the prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) which was one of the main reasons for the spread of his noble message. As mentioned before, he n ever swore and he never spoke vilely about anyone. But after his appointment as a prophet of Allah, he not only observed these excellent qualities for himself, but also ordered all the Muslims to live their lives according to these noble tr aits. This is why we find that lying and cheating are totally forbidden in Islam , and about lying the prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Lying leads to obscenit y and obscenity leads to the fire of hell" [13]. For the Arabs to stop cheating and lying it would mean that the whole of their lives would have to be turned up side down. Cheating and lying during business transactions was a regular practic e for the Arabs, and it was from this behaviour that the racist slogan "you chea ting Arab!" was derived. Backbiting and slandering one another were totally forb idden and the prophet (peace be upon him) was instructed by Allah to inform the people that backbiting another Muslim was like: ". . . eating the dead flesh of your brother" (Al-Hujjarat, The Dwellings 49:12) Muhammed (peace be upon him) was known to laugh very little, if at all. Rather w hen he was happy he would express his delight by smiling and he is reported to h ave said: "Too much laughter kills the heart" [15]. Likewise when he was angry, he would not fly off the handle or start a tantrum, but rather the complexion of his face would simply turn red. The generosity of Muhammed (peace be upon him) was so great that one of his comp anions, Ibn Abbas described his huge generosity as being like ". . . the blowing wind" [16] . To give charity during those days was outdated and those who gave charity were very rare in that troublesome society. But the trends of society we re nothing to this man, who simply wished to attain the pleasure of Allah by hel ping those who were less fortunate then himself. In fact his giving of charity o ften meant that he had to sacrifice the pleasures of life for himself and his fa mily. His wife Aisha reported that ".... three consecutive days would not go by without the family of Muhammed not eating their fill" [17] The relationship between Muhammed (peace be upon him) and women has been subject to vicious attack by many western writers. He has been accused of being sexuall y immoral and depraved by his enemies. Many a feminist has accused him of depriv ing women of their rights. Yet the reality of this man is unknown to many of the se ignorant people. When Muhammed (peace be upon him) left the cave of Hira, tre mbling and shaking like a leaf, who was the first person that this alleged male chauvinist turned to? When spreading the message of Islam who was the first pers on to respond to this so called "patriarchal" religion? The answer is Khadija, h is wife, a woman. It was Khadija who comforted him during these initial days of anxiety. It was Khadija who reassured him of his role by accepting his message.

And it was Khadija who gained so much respect and admiration from this remarkabl e man. Pre-Islamic Arabia was characterised by the evil crime of burying baby girls ali ve because they were seen as a shame to the family. Yet it was this man Muhammad who spoke out vehemently against this great social crime. In fact he stated the great blessing and reward of having and rearing female children : "Whomsoever b rings up two girls upon this religion, then me and him shall be like this in par adise [and he joined his forefinger with his middle finger]"[19]. His conduct wi th women was not like that of the men today, rather he treated the women as they deserved to be treated. He did not openly parade women about like cattle[20], a s was done before the coming of Islam nor did he seek to please them by showing off his masculinity. Rather he as described as being "......more shy than a virg in behind a veil"[21]. For a man who achieved so much in his lifetime it would b e expected (by corrupt western standards!) that Muhammad would abuse his power w ith regards to women. Yet we do not find a single instance in his life in which he went out raping and destroying the honour of the women folk who were captured [as occurred is Bosnia and Kosovo, when the Serbian army attempted to rid their country of all Muslim presence -SA]. Rather it was the women of Arabia who came forward in their droves to accept the message of this man, who came to liberate humanity from the oppression of this world[22]. By the time of his death in the year 632 CE almost the whole of the Arabian peni nsula had been conquered. A million square miles lay at his feet. Yet such was t he humble nature of this man that he would mend his own shoes, sew his own cloth es and milk his own goats. Such behaviour has become awe inspiring for millions of people and has thus led them to the beauty of this religion. As a leader for his people he was a great example of humility and mercy. When his companions wal ked past his house they could hear him crying in his prayer, so much so that it was like a "... boiling pot"[23]. He would continuously pray during the nights t o such an extent that his feet would swell up. Upon observing this his wife Aish a asked him "..why do you pray so much, when your Lord has forgiven your past si ns and your future sins?" and the reply from the prophet (peace be upon him) was "should I therefore not be a grateful servant of my Lord (by praying at night)" [24]. The famous conquest of Makkah is an event which shall be remembered for the just ice and mercy which were shown that day. Even though he had the option to punish those who were guilty of oppressing the Muslims, Muhammed (peace be upon him) i ssued a general amnesty by which many people were forgiven. It was this behaviou r which saw the amazing acceptance of Islam by almost the whole population of Ma kkah literally overnight.[25] With leadership and conquest comes fame but fame did not affect this man whose o nly aim was to establish the religion of Allah on earth. His position as a messe nger of Allaah was not exaggerated. His insistence on being a mere mortal like o thers was firm. And his desire to single out Allaah alone for worship was stress ed wholeheartedly. It is for this reason that he ordered his followers not to ma ke any pictorial representations or statues of him. Before his death he condemne d the ". . .Jews and Christians for taking the graves of their prophets and piou s people as places of worship"[26]. By implication this made it haram (prohibite d) for the Muslims to take the grave of Muhammed (peace be upon him) as a place of worship. For all those who call the Muslims 'Muhammedans'[27], then this is t he response which we as worshippers of Allah bring forward. Throughout history l eaders of nations, ideologies and empires have often ended up becoming objects o f worship. We find statues and pictures of Marx, Lenin, Caesar, Jesus, St Paul, Hitler, Napoleon, Confucius and so many others. Yet despite all the reminders of these people, it is still this man Muhammad (peace be upon him) who has had the most influence upon history, despite the fact that we find no 3-D visual image of him [28]. This is indeed a mercy from Allah.

The world of the 7th century was a crumbling place. The empires of Rome and Pers ia were locked in constant battle. The Chinese and Indian civilisations were in moral decline. Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism were all religions which were fast losing momentum. The case of the Arabs was clear to everyone and they were regarded as being at the bottom of this decaying pit. It was among this de cadence that Allah sent Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was like the light to t his world of ignorance. Like a lamp did he shine in this abyss of darkness. From the confines of Arabia it was his light that would reach the farthest regions o f the earth and release the people from their burdens: "'O prophet. Verily We have sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings a nd a warner, and as one who invites to Allah by His Permission, and as a lamp sp reading light" (Al-Ahzab, The Confederates, 33:45-46) "Be thankful for small mercies" goes the saying of old. But the mercy which we h ave been given is far from small. Rather the greatness of this mercy will enable us to live and die upon a way of success and contentment. This mercy is the Sun nah (way) of the prophet Muhammad and through it we -by the will of Allaah- will enjoy an everlasting life to come. Indeed in the messenger of Allaah you have t he most beautiful pattern of conduct for him who hopes in Allaah and the last da y, and remembers Allaah much" (Al-Ahzab, The Confederates, 33:21)

Footnotes: 1 Al-Anbiya 21:107 2 This incident is the subject of Surah Al-Fil (The Elephant) the 105th chapter of the Qu'ran 3 The 3rd month of the Islamic calendar 4 The History of Islam and the Muslims - Iqbal Mohammed, Vol 1 p. 138 5 This fact is even attested to by the non-Muslims, e.g. see the Guinness book o f Records. 6 Al-Ahzab 33:56 7 This was one of the forms of currency in Arabia at that time 8 The History of Islam and the Muslims - Iqbal Mohammed, Vol 1 pp. 163-166 9 In modem western societies much of the social problems are as a result of dysf unctional families. 10 The 9th month of the Islamic calendar and the month in which fasting is oblig atory. 11 Muhammed (peace be upon him) could not read or write - This is one of the man y proofs to show that he could not possibly have made the Qur'aan up by himself. 12 Al-Alaq 96:1-5 13 Reported in Saheeh Muslim (Eng. trans Vol. 4 p.1375 No.6307) 14 Al-Hujjarat 49:12 15 Reported by At-Tirmidhee and Ahmed 16 Reported in Saheeh Muslim (Eng trans Vol. 4 p.1241 No.5718) 17 Bukharee 18 Male dominated 19 Muslim 20 In pre-Islamic Arabia women were subjected to intolerable humiliation, and th ey were often paraded naked during the festivals which were held by the pagan Ar abs. 21 Reported in Saheeh Muslim (Eng trans Vol. 4 p.1244 No.5739) 22 Despite the constant barrage of distortion against Islam, it is a fact that m ore then 70% of those people who become Muslim in the west, are women. 23 Abu Dawud (Eng Trans Vol. 1 p.230 No.903 24 Bukhari

25 How different is this behaviour from that of the non-Muslim conquerors such a s the crusaders, who upon the conquest of Jerusalem; raped, looted and burnt the ir way to success. 26 Reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhari (Eng trans Vol. 1 p.255 No.427) 27 This was the name used for Muslims during the middle ages. It means one who w orships Muhammed (peace be upon him). Unfortunately through their ignorance many westerners still know Muslims by this name. 28 This fact has even been attested to by Christians, such us professor Michael Hart in his book "The 100: The most influential men in History". Despite the fac t that professor Hart casts doubt upon the source of the prophet's law, he still cannot help but admit that this man exercised more influence on humanity then a nyone else. It is for this reason that he places Muhammed (saws) in the No.1 pos ition, even ahead of his lord Jesus, whom he places 3rd just behind St Paul 29 Al-Ahzab 33:45-46 30 Al-Ahzab 33:21 ********************************************************************** Why do Muslims Believe that Muhammad was a Messenger of God? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=128:why-do-mus lims-believe-that-muhammad-was-a-messenger-of-god&catid=50:muhammad-the-final-me ssenger&Itemid=170 The final messenger sent to mankind was a man born in Makkah named Muhammad ibn A bdillaah (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace). Although many Westerner s generally accept that the likes of Abraham, Moses and Jesus were prophets of G od, they have trouble accepting that Muhammad (may Allah raise his rank and gran t him peace) was a prophet of God too. This has very much to do with the fact th at their ancestors did not accept the message of the final prophet, and conseque ntly, they do not regard him as being a prophet of God either. "One of the problems with those who claim to be adherents of freedom and liberal ism is that they are often not very open to reconsidering certain conclusions th ey might have already drawn. The claim to being liberalist necessitates that an individual be open minded and ready to change any preconceived notions once conv incing proof is provided to substantiate something new or different. People who claim to be open and liberal often become very sensitive and intolerant when val id criticism of their beliefs is made. Refusing to consider something before it is even brought forward is a sign of insularity, not liberalism." This fact is clearly reflected in the books of Western academics, as well as the mainstream Western media. It is not uncommon to hear Prophet Muhammad (may Alla h raise his rank and grant him peace) being referred to as the Founder of Islam, or more overtly, as the prophet Muhammad, who authored the Quran. If it can be pr oven that the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) wa s an impostor who falsely claimed to be receiving divine revelation, the whole m essage of Islaam becomes invalidated. Once it can be agreed upon that the author of the Qur aan can be taken to be Muhammad himself, it becomes easy to dismiss the religion of Islaam as being solely a man-made religious tradition from the past that is better left ignored. Download this Article... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/pdfs/muhammadmessenger.pdf **************************************************************************** Muhammad: A Witness, Bearer of Glad-Tidings and a Warner http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220:muhammad-a

-witness-bearer-of-glad-tidings-and-a-warner&catid=50:muhammad-the-final-messeng er&Itemid=170 Explaining the Message that Muhammad brought to the world, in affirmation of the messages of the previous prophets. "He proved himself to be ideal of manhood, and to possess a spotless character. He was the most obliging to his compatriots, honest in his talk and mildest in t emper. He was gentle-hearted, chaste, hospitable and always impressed people by his piety inspiring countenance. He was always truthful and the best to keep cov enant. His fellow citizens by common consent gave him the title of Al Ameen (tru stworthy). - The Reign of Islamic Da'wah Centre, Toronto, Canada" In the Name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful "And (remember) when Jesus, son of Mary, said: "O Children of Israel! I am the M essenger of Allaah unto you, confirming the Torah (which came) before me, and gi ving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. Bu t when he (Ahmad i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: "This is plain magic." (The Noble Qur'an 61:6) "We have not sent thee (O Muhammad) except as a universal (Messenger) to men giv ing them glad tidings and warning them (against sin) but most men understand not ." (The Noble Qur an 34:28) "Verily all praise is due to Allah, We praise Him, we seek His Help and ask for His Forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from all the evils in our souls and fro m our sinful deeds. Whosoever Allah guides, no one can mislead and whosoever All aah leaves to stray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity wor thy of worship except Allah, He is One and has no partners. And I bear witness t hat Muhammad is His servant ant Last Messenger. O you who believe, have fear and consciousness of Allah according to His right and die not except as Muslims. O mankind, have fear and consciousness of your Lord, the One Who created you from one soul and from it its mate and from them spread many men and women. And fear Allah from Whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut off family relation s. Surely, Allaah is Ever an All-Watcher over you. O you who believe, have fear and consciousness of Allah and always speak the truth. He will direct you to do righteous deeds and will forgive you of your sins. Whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a great achievement." These are the words Muhamma d would say before addressing anyone. Allaah says in the Qur an: (References of the Qur an are an English interpretation o f the Arabic) "Verily, We have sent you (O Muhammad) as a witness, as a bearer o f glad tidings and as a warner. In order that you (O mankind) may believe in All aah and His Messenger and honor him and that you glorify (Allaah s) Praises mornin g and afternoon." (The Noble Qur an 48:8-9) In a time when the earth was filled with chaos and confusion and man had once ag ain strayed from the Guidance of Allah, a child was born from the line of the ho use of Ishmael in the city of Makkah as ordained by Allah. His grandfather named him Muhammad son of 'Abdullaah. From childhood there was always something special about him that was recognized by all. He was always honest true and trustworthy. Born in the year 570 AD, the only child of his parents, he later became an orphan at the age of six years aft

er the death of both parents. Muhammad was in his youth, a combination of the best social attributes. His long silence helped him to meditate and deeply investigate the truth. His pure natur e was helpful and instrumental in assimilating and comprehending ways of life an d people, individual and collective. He shunned superstitious practices and took a part in constructive and useful dealings. He also kept himself from drinking wine, eating meat slaughtered on stone altars, or attending idolatrous festivals . He proved himself to be ideal of manhood, and to possess a spotless character. H e was the most obliging to his compatriots, honest in his talk and mildest in te mper. He was gentle-hearted, chaste, hospitable and always impressed people by h is piety inspiring countenance. He was always truthful and the best to keep cove nant. His fellow citizens by common consent gave him the title of Al Ameen (trus tworthy). Allaah says in the Noble Qur an: "Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow f or him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Alla h much." (The Noble Qur an 33:21) Muhammad used to pass long hours in retirement meditating and speculating over a ll aspects of creation around him. One of these in particular was his favorite r esort a cave named Hira , in the Mount An Nour; where at the age of 40 years he wa s visited by the angel Gabriel, who was sent to reveal Allaah s Guidance for all c reation to him. The angel Gabriel appeared to him Muhammad and said: "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created all that exists has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood.) Read! And your Lord is the Mos t Generous." (The Noble Qur an 96:1-3) And "O you Muhammad enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Lord (Allah) m agnify! And your garments purify! And keep away from idols. (The Noble Qur an 74:1 -5) Thus began the revelations and Muhammad received words of inspiration, of warnin g and glad tidings for all creation. Allah says in the Glorious Qur an: "Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after him; We (also) inspired Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and Al-Asbat, (the twelve sons of Jacob), Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We g ave the Psalms. And Messengers We have mentioned to you before, and Messengers W e have not mentioned to you, and to Moses, Allah spoke directly. Messengers as b earers of good news as well as warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise. B ut Allah bears witness to that which He has sent down (the Qur an) unto you (O Muh ammad), He has sent it down with His Knowledge, and the angels bear witness. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Witness. Verily, those who disbelieve (by conceali ng the truth about Prophet Muhammad and his message of true Islamic Monotheism w ritten with them in the Torah [Book given to Moses] and the Gospel) and prevent (mankind) from the Path of Allah, they have certainly strayed far away. Verily, those who disbelieve and did wrong (by concealing the truth about Prophet Muhamm

ad and his message of true Islamic Monotheism written with them in the Torah and the Gospel) Allah will not forgive them, nor will He guide them to any way, Exc ept the way of Hell, to dwell therein forever, and this is ever easy for Allah. O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad) with the truth from your Lord, so believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allaah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All Wise. O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christi ans)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah anything but t he truth. The Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, was (no more than) a Messenger of Alla h and His Word, ("Be and he was) which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit created by Him; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allah is the only One God, Glory be to Him, (Far Ex alted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all that is in the heavens and al l that is in the earth. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs." ( The Noble Qur an 4:163-172) And "O mankind! Verily, there has come to you a convincing proof (Prophet Muhammad) from your Lord, and We sent down to you a manifest light (this Qur an). So, as for those who believed in Allah and held fast to Him, He will admit them to His Mer cy and Grace and guide them to Himself by a Straight Path." (The Noble Qur an 4:17 4-175) And "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messen ger (Muhammad) explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Sc ripture and passing over much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allaah a light (Prophet Muhammad and a plain Book (this Qur an). Wherewith Allah guides all thos e who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darknes s by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way. Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is the Messiah, son of Mary. Say (O Muhammad): "Wh o then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, his mother and all those who are on the earth together?" And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things. And (both) the Je ws and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." Sa y: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings, o f those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and to Him is the return of all. O people of the Scripture (Jews a nd Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad) making things clear unto you, after a break in (the series of) Messengers, lest you say: "There cam e unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner". But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings a warner. And Allah is Able to do all things." (The Nob le Qur an 5:15-19) "O you who believe [in Moses (Jews) and Jesus (Christians)]! Fear Allah, and bel ieve too in His Messenger (Muhammad), He will give you a double portion of His M ercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk straight, and He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. So that the people of t he Scripture (Jews and Christians) may know that they have no power whatsoever o ver the Grace of Allah, and that His Grace is entirely in His Hand to bestow it on whomsoever He wills. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty." (The Noble Qur an 57:28-29) The heart of every Muslim is filled with the love of the last Prophet Muhammad a nd this love of the Messenger of Allah is an asset for him. Love and respect of a person depends on the benefits we get from him. As the Prophet is the greatest

benefactor of humanity, every Muslim has deepest love for him. To prove that we love the Prophet we have to follow the Prophet Muhammad. Your Lord said: "Say (O Muhammad to mankind): If you really love Allah then follow me, Allah wil l love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. " (The Noble Qur an 3:31) Every deed of his life is to be followed by every Muslim. Highest love for the P rophet is made a test of faith. Allaah has described and explained the status of Muhammad in the Qur an: "Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but (he is) the Messenger of A llaah, and the Last of the Prophets, And Allaah is Ever All-Aware of Everything. " (The Noble Qur an, 33:40) Islam - The Religion of all the Prophets ******************************************************************************** ************** Proof of Prophethood http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221:proof-of-p rophethood&catid=50:muhammad-the-final-messenger&Itemid=170 A tremendous hadeeth explaining one of the signs of Prophethood. "So one of the angels said to his companion, If he were to be weighed against the whole of mankind he would outweigh them." From Abu Dharr al-Ghifaaree (a Companion of Muhammad - peace be upon him) who sa id, "O Messenger of Allah, how did you know that your were a Prophet when you we re commissioned to be so? So he replied, 'O Abu Dharr! Two Angels came to me whi le I was in the plains of Mecca, one of them came to the earth while the other r emained between the heaven and the earth. Then one of them said to his companion : 'is this he?' The other replied: 'yes'. The first said: 'weigh him against a p erson' so I was weighed against him and I outweighed him. Then he said, 'weigh h im against ten people' so I was weighed against ten and I outweighed them. Then he said, 'weigh him against a hundred people' so I was weighed against them and I outweighed them. Then he said, 'weigh him against a thousand people' so I was weighed against them and I outweighed them and it was as if I was watching them (the people) floating about me due to their lightness on the scales. So one of t he angels said to his companion, 'if he were to be weighed against the whole of mankind he would outweigh them'" Notes: Reported by ad-Daarimee (1/9) and via his route ibn Asaakir reported it a s stated in 'al-Bidaayah' (2/276) and al-Uqailee as stated in 'al-Meezaan' (1/19 0). Al-Albaanee said: 'it's isnaad is good, all of it's narrators are trustworthy, p recise and well-known. And there are some words (of criticism) said concerning J a'far bin Uthmaan (one of it's narrators) - and he is ibn Abdullaah bin Uthmaan - that does not matter (here) insha'allaah, and he was declared to be trustworth y by Abu Haatim .and the hadeeth as a large number of witnesses (shawaahid) ." (Sili silah as-Saheehah no. 2529) ******************************************************************************** **** Common Misinterpretations of Islam

http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 4&Itemid=206 Amidst the onslaught of media misinformation, this section expounds upon some co mmon misnomers about the Islamic faith. ******************************************************************************** ***** The Islamic Legislation and Non-Muslims http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=138:the-islami c-legislation-and-non-muslims&catid=54:common-misinterpretations-of-islam&Itemid =173 Islam, due to its mercy upon all people, preserves the rights of even those who are in opposition to it. It affords them the freedom of having their own beliefs and methods of worship; rather it provides security for them as well as their c enters of worship. It preserves them, their wealth and their children; it prohib its transgression upon them entirely, except with just cause. "Meaning: Do not compel anyone to embrace the religion of Islam, for indeed it i s a clear and understandable religion that is supported by manifest evidences an d proofs. One does not need to compel anyone to embrace it." Freedom of Belief or Creed Islam s preservation of the freedom of creed is extremely clear in the saying of A llah the Exalted: There is no compulsion in religion. Indeed, the right path has become distinct fr om the wrong path. [Al Baqarah: 256] Download this Article... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/pdfs/islamiclegislationsandnonmuslims.pdf ****************************************************************** Some Thoughts on the Notion of "Religious Borrowing" http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=222:some-thoug hts-on-the-notion-of-qreligious-borrowingq&catid=54:common-misinterpretations-of -islam&Itemid=173 Is Islam really a concoction of Judaism and Christianity, as some would like to believe? "When it is said to them: "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" They say: "T ales of the Ancients!" (Qur'an 16:24)" Once, while browsing the soc.religion.islam newsgroup on the Internet, I came ac ross the following comment: >>Also, the story of Abraham being rescued from the fires of Nimrod is also foun d in Jewish traditions. My response was: So what's your point? Do you think that this necessarily means the story is made -up, borrowed, or false? I know that you didn't say this, but I was just wonderi

ng what the point of your comment was. The story of the Great Flood during the t ime of Noah, peace be upon him, is mentioned in the Gilgamesh Epic, which was wr itten about 3000 B.C. Does this means that this story is not true because it is contained in another earlier source? Now I'm not talking about anyone in particular, but in my humble opinion, the op ponents and critics of Islam have not changed their arguments much since the tim es of the pagan/idol worshipping Arabs. The Qur'an records some of their stateme nts as follows: The unbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the ancients." (Qur'an 6:25 ) "These are nothing but tales of the ancients." (Qur'an 8:31) When it is said to them: "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" They say: "Ta les of the Ancients!" (Qur'an 16:24) And they say: "Tales of the ancients which he has caused to be written: and they are dictated before him morning and evening." (Qur'an 25:5) "It is true we were promised this we and our fathers before (us): these are noth ing but tales of the ancients." (Qur'an 27:68) "Tales of the men of old" (Qur'an 68:15) On the issue of so-called religious borrowing, I'd like to quote the late Dr. Is ma'il al-Faruqi: "Original Semitic, or Ur-Semitisch, religion was not a traditio n which belonged exclusively to the Jews, but was common to the whole family of Semitic peoples. The version of that tradition embodied in the Old Testament is peculiar to the Jews since they have canonized it as scripture. Earlier Jews or Hebrews had that tradition as well as others which have not survived. Jewish dis persions since the Assyrian conquest in 722 B. C. must have caused some of these traditions to dissolve into those of other Semitic peoples, just as the citizen s of Israel, the Northern Kingdom, has dissolved with the countryside surroundin g them. There is more than sufficient evidence, internal to the Old Testament, t o prove that other records of revelation existed which were either edited, refor med or lost by the generations. There is, in addition, ample evidence from Mesop otamia texts dating centuries and millennia before the earliest Hebrew texts, wh ere variants of the Jewish revelations may be read. The pre-Islamic Hanafi tradi tion which regarded the religious tradition of Ibrahim (Abraham) to Jesus as the true religion of God, and with which the Prophet Muhammad identified his revela tion, was certainly one of those variants living in the memory of Peninsula Arab s. Only thus may the problem of borrowing between the two religions be solved. T hat Islam borrowed from Judaism certain notions or traditions - as Abraham Geige r, Abraham Katsch and C. C. Torrey have claimed with no little superficiality or temerity - is as true as the claim that Judaism borrowed from the Mesopotamians those same notions and traditions. Ancient Near East stories of Creation, of Mo ses' birth and career, of Joseph and Job, of Noah and the Deluge, and the notion s of the Word of God, the God of the Mountain, of the Covenant, the law, revelat ion, service of God, have all been derived from older Mesopotamian traditions. T hese studies equally point out that the Hebrews have indeed borrowed from the Ca naanites their Hebrew language, priestly system, sacrificial ritual, temple wors hip, as well as their whole religious calendar of agricultural occasions; and fr om the Persians, their Paradise and Hell, the Day of Judgment, Messianism, sacre mentalism, angelogy and demonology, apocryphal version of the end, soteriology a nd eschatology. For the appearance of each of these notions or theories in the J ewish tradition is dated and can be shown to have occurred at or after the Jews' contact with those people." And continuing, he says: "We reject the notion of b orrowing as superficial and simplistic. We do not deny interaction between peopl

es concerned; but we maintain that what constitutes a religion is not the indivi dual elements which may coincidentally or otherwise be found in other traditions , but the essence or structure in accordance with which all elements have been w elded together in an integral whole . . . The foregoing analysis is the way a se cular historical scholarship would follow to explain the communion between Judai sm and Islam on one side, with the religions of ancient Mesopotamia, on the othe r. There is an easier, simpler and far more straight-forward explanation which i s that of Islam. That is that fact that all religions, and in this special sense , the Semitic family of religions, come from one source, namely God." And furthe r: "It is an altogether different matter that Judaism has been subject to critic ism by Islam. Having acknowledged a Jewish religious tradition and identified it self with it, Islam could criticize from within, just as the Jewish prophets did . . . The object of criticism is never the religion of God, the revelation give n to the prophets, but the historical recording or empirical texts claimed to be divine, and the actual practice of Jews in history. This very task, practically every Jewish Prophet from David to Malachi had assumed and fulfilled in much th e same way as the Qur'anic revelation had done . . . It is a criticism of the Je ws' religious practice in terms of Jewish primordial religion. Islam never doubt s the revealed status of the Torah . . . Islam recognizes that God has specially favored the Jews . . . The covenant equally stipulates that if the Jews fail to keep their part of the covenant, God will inflict upon them His punishment . . . God's judgment is never arbitrary, never unjust, never not-due, not-earned by him upon whom it falls. The Jews do ascribe such arbitrariness to God in order t o maintain their otherwise unjustifiable election. Judaism asserts that God chos e Abraham and ordered him to leave his city and people and emigrate; but it give s no reason for the choice (Genesis 12:1). This election of Abraham is nowhere j ustified. It is asserted to be "in the flesh" (Genesis 17:10) and made to pass b iologically to his descendants regardless of their piety or conduct (Isaiah 9:6, 63:1-16). The Qur'an was the first to proclaim Abraham's emigration was due to his conversion from the idolatry of his people to the true religion of God revea led to him, to their attempted persecution of him from which God saved him by a miracle (Qur'an: 21:51-73). Its narrative found its way to Jewish literature in the Middle Ages, especially in the Midrash Hagadol which was discovered in Yemen in the 18th century." ( The above quotations are from: Islam and the Problem of Israel, by Dr. Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi, pp. 75-79.) That brings us to another qu estion: do the Jewish texts which contain the story of Abraham, peace be upon hi m, being saved from Nimrod's fire pre-date or post-date the Qur'an? And if so, i n who's opinion? And even if they pre-date it, so what? Another point: according to the Rev. Kenneth Cragg, the infamous Christian missi onary author, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, compromised his "propheti c role" by emigrated from Mecca to Medina in order to escape the persecution of the pagan Arabs (i.e. the ones who believed in God but worshipped others - saint s, angels - along with Him). If Muhammad compromised his prophecy by doing this, then why not Abraham? And if Moses, peace be upon him, did not forsake his prop hethood by fleeing from the tyranny of Pharoah's Egypt to a place where he and h is followers could worship the One True God , then why did Muhammad, peace be up on him? Remember, even Moses and the Children of Israel defended (and even estab lished) their belief through force of arms! Just a thought . . . ****************************************************************************** Thoughts On Abrogation? Think About It! http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=223:thoughts-o n-abrogation-think-about-it&catid=54:common-misinterpretations-of-islam&Itemid=1 73 Refuting the claims that abrogation takes away from the completeness of the Reli gion. Also contains examples of abrogation found within the Bible.

"It is clear that the concept of abrogation: the nullifying of an older commandm ent or practice in favour of a newer law, is nothing new and it has been practic ed by God for aeons." There are some very strange claims on abrogation of a few verses in the Qur'an m ade at: Answering Islam's website The criticism is as follows: "I hope you see my problem. If God comes to the conclusion that he has to abroga te and make new orders then this is admitting that he made mistakes. It shows th at what he gave before was not perfect. It could be improved. Your scenario accuses God of making mistakes. But God is all-knowing, he is not surprised by new circumstances and new ideas. It is against the nature and attributes of God to change his mind. And clearly, if God had changed the Qur'an before he revealed it then we would never have kno wn about the change. Because we know the abrogated and abrogating verses [at lea st some] therefore it is clear that you accuse God not only of changing his mind just for himself, but that he took rather long to find out that it was wrong. A fter all, the Qur'an is uncreated and was with God for eternity, how come he jus t found out that some things have to be changed after he revealed it to Muhammad ? To me, this does not make sense. It is derogatory of the holy and supreme God. I t attributes mistakes to him and that he didn't know what he was doing in the fi rst place. And then he has to abrogate to clean up the mess of wrong revelation. That is what I cannot accept." When one studies the Hebrew and Greek scriptures, it becomes clear that omnipote nt and omniscient God did make mistakes and repented. This means that the God di d not know his own actions and the outcomes of the actions. Now for some fine ex amples. Let us first start with Old Testament. In the story of Noah(P), it is me ntion that: And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground anymore for man's sake; for the imagination of man's hear t is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done. [Genesis 8:21] And in the story of Moses, we read And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. [Exodu s 32:14] Oh no! that is Old Testament, cries the Christian. The New Testament has replace d all that. Yes, in the New Testament, the monotheistic and henotheistic God of Israel, Yahweh, suddenly starts to be interpreted as Trinity. So, the concept of monotheistic and henotheistic God itself got abrogated in the New Testament as the Christians allege! So we have to assume that the monotheistic and henotheist ic God of Israel did not know that he was Trinity and made a serious mistake or he simply changed his mind or in the worst case scenario, he cheated the People of Israel. The problem just does not end here. Let us also see what are the problems of the Christian cry; The New Testament has replaced all that. The following essay is

intended to show evidence of the concept of abrogation in the Bible both between the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and Greek Scriptures (New Testament) as w ell as internally in the Greek Scriptures themselves. To begin - what is meant by the term "abrogation"? The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines the word Abrogate as: ab-ro-gate: v.tr. repeal, annul, abolish (a law or custom). In the context of the will and law of God (Holy is He above all that is attribut ed to Him) as expressed in Scripture, it refers to the nullification of an older Law or concept in favour of a newer and more appropriate one. We might ask whether an omniscient God, if He is the one who sent Torah and Inje el, might employ such a concept as abrogation? Surely an all-knowing God would b e able to impart His will in entirety without recourse to change? Doesn't the id ea of abrogating, or nullifying, a previous law in light of a better one suggest that the Author is not all-knowing? What these questions don't take into account, is that whilst God is all-knowing, unchanging (e.g., Malachi 3:6, with lots of problems with the concept of Trinit y), His audience, humanity, is not. The very concept that Christianity holds so dear, of the difference between the old covenantal relationship of law, as oppos ed to the new covenantal relationship of grace relies on the understanding that human beings as individuals and in human societies are in fact subjected to chan ge in condition. According to Matthew, Jesus(P) said: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not co me to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and e arth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who br eaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same wi ll be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches t hese commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19) And surprising, Jesus(P), the omniscient Yahweh incarnate (allegedly!) suddenly had to change the Laws of Divorce, Justice and Oaths apart from changing his own mind!

Abrogation Of Divorce The best examples of Jesus(P) abrogating parts of Old Testament law concern a nu mber of statements recorded in the gospel according to Matthew. The most promine nt of them would be the Law concerning Divorce. In the Old Testament we find the following law concerning divorce: If ng er he a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds somethi indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to h and sends her from his house, and if after she leaves his house she becomes t wife of another man, (Deutronomy 24:1-2)

Now without going into the minute of this particular law of divorce, one thing b ecomes immediately clear. Not only is divorce permitted by God, it is legal for her to remarry.

However in the time of Jesus(P), the rules of divorce seem to have taken a U-tur n. "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital u nfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the di vorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32) Here Jesus(P) abrogated the former permission to divorce according to the husban d's displeasure and strictly allowed it under one condition - adultery. He even went so far as to legislate that divorcees were not permitted to remarry, clearl y abrogating the former permission. But what is the reason given for this abroga tion? Had God changed His mind? Is this evidence of God not being omniscient? Or more importantly, is this evidence that in fact God was never the author of the se laws? Well Jesus himself explains: "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificat e of divorce and send her away?" Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the begin ning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfu lness, and marries another woman commits adultery." (Matthew 19:7-9) Jesus(P) points to the fact that God designs laws that are suitable to the needs and exigencies of the time and audience.

Law Of Absolute Justice In the Hebrew Scriptures it is written: Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot f or foot. (Deutronomy 19:21) Quite a harsh law of absolute justice that was necessary due to the conditions o f Moses' age. But Jesus was inspired by God to reveal a softer code for the beli evers to practice in individual relationships. By abrogating the harshness of ab solute justice, Jesus was inspired to encourage the believers to employ forgiven ess and mercy. It is recorded he said: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, t urn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with h im two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one wh o wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:38-42) It is a different story that many Christians do not practice what Jesus(P) has t old them to do. Law Of Oaths We read: If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD y our God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if yo u refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter yo u must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth. (Deutronomy 23:21-23)

That is, it is permissible to make an oath for various reasons, however, the swe arer must fulfil the oath he makes. In Jesus' time it became necessary for him t o abrogate this permission so that the swearing of oaths became forbidden. In Ma tthew it is recorded: "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not break yo ur oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not s wear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it i s his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do n ot swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No'; anything beyond this comes from th e evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37) Jesus(P) Abrogating His Own Commandments Perhaps the clearest example of God inspiring Jesus to practice abrogation can b e seen in the commissioning of his disciples. It is written in the New Testament that initially Jesus forbade his disciples from preaching to non-Jews. He restr icted their activities and commanded them to avoid Gentiles. However, due to the change in circumstances and the completion of his earthly mission, Jesus(P) abr ogated this earlier law and made it not only permissible but obligatory for his disciples to reach out to a broader base. A nice example of Jesus asking his disciples to preach the lost sheep of Israel is: These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among th e Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of I srael. (Matthew 10:5-6) This prohibition is reinforced by Jesus'(P) own practice: A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of Davi d, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." J esus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send he r away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." (Matthew 15:22-24) Even though because of his mercy Jesus healed the sick daughter, he made it clea r that his mission was to the Jews, not to the Gentiles. Later on this was abrog ated and Jesus commanded his disciples to reach out to all peoples. It is record ed he said: Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

Conclusions It is clear that the concept of abrogation: the nullifying of an older commandme nt or practice in favour of a newer law, is nothing new and it has been practice d by God for aeons. What we know is that the laws governing the mankind (i.e., S hariah) changes according to the needs of the society. But the concept of monoth eism (i.e., Tawheed) remains the same. The Creator knows very well that his crea tion, the humans, need time and discipline to grow and mature, He reveals comman

dments and practices that help them develop both as individuals and as members o f society. All Praise be to the God, Lord of the Worlds. And Allah knows best. ************************************************************************** Orientalism, Misinformation and Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=224:orientalis m-misinformation-and-islam&catid=54:common-misinterpretations-of-islam&Itemid=17 3 Includes a definition of Orientalism, its goals and primary aims. Beware, so as to keep yourself safe from false propaganda. "Keeping this in mind, I would encourage the reader to consult books written by Muslim authors when trying to learn about Islam." Any open-minded person embarking on a study of Islam, especially if using books written in European languages, should be aware of the seemingly inherent distort ions that permeate almost all non-Muslim writings on Islam. At least since the M iddle Ages, Islam has been much maligned and severely misunderstood in the West. In the last years of the Twentieth Century, it does not seem that much has chan ged even though most Muslims would agree that progress is being made. -----------------------------------------------------------------------QUESTIONABLE MOTIVES & GENERAL IGNORANCE -----------------------------------------------------------------------I feel that an elegant summary of the West's ignorance of Islam and the motives of Orientalism are the following words by the Swiss journalist and author, Roger Du Pasquier: "The West, whether Christian or dechristianised, has never really known Islam. Ever since they watched it appear on the world stage, Christians ne ver ceased to insult and slander it in order to find justification for waging wa r on it. It has been subjected to grotesque distortions the traces of which stil l endure in the European mind. Even today there are many Westerners for whom Isl am can be reduced to three ideas: fanaticism, fatalism and polygamy. Of course, there does exist a more cultivated public whose ideas about Islam are less defor med; there are still precious few who know that the word islam signifies nothing other than 'submission to God'. One symptom of this ignorance is the fact that in the imagination of most Europeans, Allaah refers to the divinity of the Musli ms, not the God of the Christians and Jews; they are all surprised to hear, when one takes the trouble to explain things to them, that 'Allaah' means 'God', and that even Arab Christians know him by no other name. Islam has of course been the object of studies by Western orientalists who, over the last two centuries, have published an extensive learned literature on the s ubject. Nevertheless, however worthy their labours may have been, particularly i n the historical and and philological fields, they have contributed little to a better understanding of the Muslim religion in the Christian or post-Christian m ilieu, simply because they have failed to arouse much interest outside their spe cialised academic circles. One is forced also to concede that Orientals studies in the West have not always been inspired by the purest spirit of scholarly impa rtiality, and it is hard to deny that some Islamicists and Arabists have worked with the clear intention of belittling Islam and its adherents. This tendency wa s particularly marked for obvious reasons in the heyday of the colonial empires, but it would be an exaggeration to claim that it has vanished without trace.

These are some of the reasons why Islam remains even today so misjudged by the W est, where curiously enough, Asiatic faiths such as Buddhism and Hinduism have f or more than a century generated far more visible sympathy and interest, even th ough Islam is so close to Judaism and Christianity, having flowed from the same Abrahamic source. Despite this, however, for several years it has seemed that ex ternal conditions, particularly the growing importance of the Arab-Islamic count ries in the world's great political and economic affairs, have served to arouse a growing interest of Islam in the West, resulting for some in the discovery of new and hitherto unsuspected horizons." (From Unveiling Islam, by Roger Du Pasquier, pages 5-7) The feeling that there is a general ignorance of Islam in the West i s shared by Maurice Bucaille, a French doctor, who writes: "When one mentions Is lam to the materialist atheist, he smiles with a complacency that is only equal to his ignorance of the subject. In common with the majority of Western intellec tuals, of whatever religious persuasion, he has an impressive collection of fals e notions about Islam. One must, on this point, allow him one or two excuses. Fi rstly, apart from the newly-adopted attitudes prevailing among the highest Catho lic authorities, Islam has always been subject in the West to a so-called 'secul ar slander'. Anyone in the West who has acquired a deep knowledge of Islam knows just to what extent its history, dogma and aims have been distorted. One must a lso take into account that fact that documents published in European languages o n this subject (leaving aside highly specialised studies) do not make the work o f a person willing to learn any easier." (From The Bible, the Qur'an and Science , by Maurice Bucaille, page 118) -----------------------------------------------------------------------ORIENTALISM:A BROAD DEFINITION -----------------------------------------------------------------------The phenomenon which is generally known as Orientalism is but one aspect of West ern misrepresentations of Islam. Today, most Muslims in the West would probably agree that the largest volume of distorted information about Islam comes from th e media, whether in newspapers, magazines or on television. In terms of the numb er of people who are reached by such information, the mass media certainly has m ore of a widespread impact on the West's view of Islam than do the academic publ ications of "Orientalists", "Arabists" or "Islamicists". Speaking of labels, in recent years the academic field of what used to be called "Orientalism" has been renamed "Area Studies" or "Regional Studies", in most colleges and universities in the West. These politically correct terms have taken the place of the word " Orientalism" in scholarly circles since the latter word is now tainted with a ne gative imperialist connotation, in a large measure due to the Orientalists thems elves. However, even though the works of scholars who pursue these fields do not reach the public at large, they do often fall into the hands of students and th ose who are personally interested in learning more about Islam. As such, any stu dent of Islam especially those in the West need to be aware of the historical phenom enon of Orientalism, both as an academic pursuit and as a means of cultural expl oitation. When used by Muslims, the word "Orientalist" generally refers to any W estern scholar who studies Islam regardless of his or her motives and thus, inevitab ly, distorts it. As we shall see, however, the phenomenon of Orientalism is much more than an academic pursuit. Edward Said, a renowned Arab Christian scholar a nd author of several books exposing shortcomings of the Orientalist approach, de fines "Orientalism" as follows: " . . . by Orientalism I mean several things, al l of them, in my opinion, interdependent. The most readily accepted designation of for Orientalism is an academic one, and indeed, and indeed the label still se rves in a number of academic institutions. Anyone who teaches, writes about, or researches the Orient and this applies whether the person is an anthropologist, so ciologist, historian, or philogist either in its specific or its general aspects, is an Orientalist, and what he or she does is Orientalism." (From Orientalism, b

y Edward W. Said, page 2) "To speak of Orientalism therefore is to speak mainly, although not exclusively, of a British and French cultural enterprise, a project whose dimensions take in such disparate realms as the imagination itself, the whole of India and the Lev ant, the Biblical texts and the Biblical lands, the spice trade, colonial armies and a long tradition of colonial administrators, a formidable scholarly corpus, innumerable Oriental "experts" and "hands", an Oriental professorate, a complex array of "Oriental" ideas (Oriental despotism, Oriental splendor, cruelty, sens uality), many Eastern sects, philosophies, and wisdoms domesticated for local Eu ropean use the list can be extended more or less indefinitely." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 4) As is the case with many things, being aware of the problem is half the battle. Once a sincere seeker of the Truth is aware of the l ong standing misunderstanding and hostility between Islam and the West and learns not to trust everything which they see in print authentic knowledge and informatio n can be obtained much more quickly. Certainly, not all Western writings on Isla m have the same degree of bias they run the range from willful distortion to simpl e ignorance and there are even a few that could be classified as sincere efforts b y non-Muslims to portray Islam in a positive light. However, even most of these works are plagued by seemingly unintentional errors, however minor, due to the a uthor's lack of Islamic knowledge. In the spirit of fairness, it should be said that even some contemporary books on Islam by Muslim authors suffer from these s ame shortcomings, usually due to a lack of knowledge, heretical ideas and or dep ending on non-Muslim sources. This having been said, it should come as no surprise that learning about Islam i n the West especially when relying on works in European languages has never been an easy task. Just a few decades ago, an English speaking person who was interested in Islam, and wishing to limit their reading to works by Muslim authors, might have been limited to reading a translation of the Qur'an, a few translated hadee th books and a few dozen pamphlet-sized essays. However, in the past several yea rs the widespread availability of Islamic books written by believing and committed Muslims and the advent of the Internet have made obtaining authentic information on almost any aspect of Islam much easier. Today, hardly a week goes by that an English translation of a classical Islamic work is not announced. Keeping this i n mind, I would encourage the reader to consult books written by Muslim authors when trying to learn about Islam. There are a wide range of Islamic book distrib utors that can be contacted through the Internet. -----------------------------------------------------------------------IMPERIALISTIC AIMS & EAGER MISSIONARIES -----------------------------------------------------------------------Moving on to a more detailed look at the West's distorted view of Islam in gener al and Orientalism in particular . . . Edward Said, the Arab Christian author of the monumental work Orientalism, accurately referred to Orientalism a "cultural enterprise". This is certainly no distortion, since the academic study of the O riental East by the Occidental West was often motivated and often co-operated hand -in-hand with the imperialistic aims of the European colonial powers. Without a d oubt, the foundations of Orientalism are in the maxim "Know thy enemy". When the "Christian Nations" of Europe began their long campaign to colonize and conquer the rest of the world for their own benefit, they brought their academic and mi ssionary resources to bear in order to assist in the task. Orientalists and miss ionaries whose ranks often overlapped were more often than not the servants of an im perialist government who was using their services as a way to subdue or weaken a n enemy, however subtly: "With regard to Islam and the Islamic territories, for example, Britain felt that it had legitimate interests, as a Christian power, to safeguard. A complex apparatus for tending these interests developed. Such earl

y organizations as the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (1698) and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (1701) were succeeded and later abetted by the Baptist Missionary Society (1792), the Church Missiona ry Society (1799), the British and Foreign Bible Society (1804), the London Soci ety for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews (1808). These missions "openly" jo ined the expansion of Europe." (From Orientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 100) A nyone who has studied the subject knows that Christian missionaries were willing participants in European imperialism, regardless of the pure motives or navet of some of the individual missionaries. Actually, quite a few Orientalist scholars were Christian missionaries. One notable example is Sir William Muir, who was an active missionary and author of several books on Islam. His books were very bia sed and narrow-minded studies, but they continue to be used as references for th ose wishing to attack Islam to this very day. That Christians were the source of some of the worst lies and distortions about Islam should come as no surprise, since Islam was its main "competitor" on the stage of World Religions. Far from honouring the commandment not to bear false witness against one's neighbour, Chr istians distortions and outright lies about Islam were widespread, as the following shows: "The history of Orientalism is hardly one of unbiased examination of the sources of Islam especially when under the influence of the bigotry of Christian ity. From the fanatical distortions of John of Damascus to the apologetic of lat er writers against Islam that told their audiences that the Muslims worshipped t hree idols! Peter the Venerable (1084-1156) "translated" the Qur'an which was us ed throughout the Middle Ages and included nine additional chapters. Sale's infa mously distorted translation followed that trend, and his, along with the likes of Rodwell, Muir and a multitude of others attacked the character and personalit y of Muhammmed. Often they employed invented stories, or narration's which the M uslims themselves considered fabricated or weak, or else they distorted the fact s by claiming Muslims held a position which they did not, or using the habits pr actised out of ignorance among the Muslims as the accurate portrayal of Islam. A s Norman Daniel tell us in his work Islam and the West: "The use of false eviden ce to attack Islam was all but universal . . . " (p. 267)." (From An Authoritati ve Exposition - Part 1, by 'Abdur-Raheem Green) There is a great deal of proof t hat one could use to demonstrate that when it came to attacking Islam, even the Roman Catholic Church would readily embrace almost any untruth. Here's an exampl e: "At a certain period in history, hostility to Islam, in whatever shape or for m, even coming from declared enemies of the church, was received with the most h eartfelt approbation by high dignitaries of the Catholic Church. Thus Pope Bened ict XIV, who is reputed to have been the greatest Pontiff of the Eighteenth cent ury, unhesitatingly sent his blessing to Voltaire. This was in thanks for the de dication to him of the tragedy Mohammed or Fanaticism (Mahomet ou le Fanatisme) 1741, a coarse satire that any clever scribbler of bad faith could have written on any subject. In spite of a bad start, the play gained sufficient prestige to be included in the repertoire of the Comdie-Franaise." (From The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, by Maurice Bucaille, page 118) -----------------------------------------------------------------------WIDESPREAD LIES & POPULAR CULTURE -----------------------------------------------------------------------The dedicated enemy of the church, referred to above, was the French philosopher Voltaire. For an example of what he thought of at least one Christian doctrine, read his Anti-Trinitarians tract. Also, the above passage introduces a point th at one should be well aware of: the distortions and lies about Islam throughout the ages in Europe were not been limited to a small number of scholars and clerg y. On the contrary, they were part of popular culture at the time: "The European imagination was nourished extensively from this repertoire [of Oriental images] : between the Middle Ages and the eighteenth century such major authors as Arios to, Milton, Marlowe, Tasso, Shakespeare, Cervantes, and the authors of the Chans

on de Roland and the Poema del Cid drew on the Orient's riches for their product ions, in ways that sharpened that outlines of imagery, ideas, and figures popula ting it. In addition, a great deal of what was considered learned Orientalist sc holarship in Europe pressed ideological myths into service, even as knowledge se emed genuinely to be advancing." (From Orientalism, by Edward Said, page 63) "The invariable tendency to neglect what the Qur'an meant, or what Muslims thoug ht it meant, or what Muslims thought or did in any given circumstances, necessar ily implies that Qur'anic and other Islamic doctrine was presented in a form tha t would convince Christians; and more and more extravagant forms would stand a c hance of acceptance as the distance of the writers and public from the Islamic b order increased. It was with very great reluctance that what Muslims said Muslim s believed was accepted as what they did believe. There was a Christian picture in which the details (even under the pressure of facts) were abandoned as little as possible, and in which the general outline was never abandoned. There were s hades of difference, but only with a common framework. All the corrections that were made in the interests of an increasing accuracy were only a defence of what had newly realised to be vulnerable, a shoring up of a weakened structure. Chri stian opinion was an erection which could not be demolished, even to be rebuilt. " (From Islam and the West: The Making of an Image, by Norman Daniel, page 259-2 60) Edward Said, in his classic work Orientalism, referring to the above passage by Norman Daniel, says: "This rigorous Christian picture of Islam was intensifi ed in innumerable ways, including during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance a lar ge variety of poetry, learned controversy, and popular superstition. By this tim e the Near Orient had been all but incorporated in the common world-picture of L atin Christianity as in the Chanson de Roland the worship of Saracens is portrayed as embracing Mahomet and Apollo. By the middle of the fifteenth century, as R. W. Southern has brilliantly shown, it became apparent to serious European thinke rs "that something would have to be done about Islam," which had turned the situ ation around somewhat by itself arriving militarily in Eastern Europe." (From Or ientalism, by Edward W. Said, page 61) "Most conspicuous to us is the inability of any of these systems of thought [Eur opean Christian] to provide a fully satisfying explanation of the phenomenon the y had set out to explain [Islam] still less to influence the course of practical e vents in a decisive way. At a practical level, events never turned out either so well or so ill as the most intelligent observers predicted: and it is perhaps w orth noticing that they never turned out better than when the best judges confid ently expected a happy ending. Was there any progress [in Christian knowledge of Islam]? I must express my conviction that there was. Even if the solutions of t he problem remained obstinately hidden from sight, the statement of the problem became more complex, more rational, and more related to experience." (From Weste rn Views of Islam in the Middle Ages, by R. W. Southern, pages 91-92) Regardless of the flawed, biased and even devious approach of many Orientalists, they too can have their moments of candour, as Roger DuPasquier points out: "In general one m ust unhappily concur with an Orientalist like Montgomery Watt when he writes tha t 'of all the great men of the world, no-one has had as many detractors as Muham mad.' Having engaged in a lengthy study of the life and work of the Prophet, the British Arabist add that 'it is hard to understand why this has been the case', finding the only plausible explanation in the fact that for centuries Christian ity treated Islam as its worst enemy. And although Europeans today look at Islam and its founder in a somewhat more objective light, 'many ancient prejudices st ill remain.'" (From Unveiling Islam, by Roger Du Pasquier, page 47 - quoting fro m W. M. Watt's Muhammad at Medina, Oxford University Press) ******************************************************************************** *** What they say about Islam, the Qur an and Muhammad

http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=226:what-theysay-about-islam-the-quran-and-muhammad&catid=54:common-misinterpretations-of-isl am&Itemid=173 A collection of quotes from non-Muslim and non-Islaamic publications about Islam , the Qur'an and Muhammad. "The religion of Islam is growing faster than any other religion in the world. Mike Wallace, 60 Minutes" "Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stabili ty for many of our people..." HILLARY CLINTON, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 1996, p.3 Already more than a billion-people strong, Islam is the world s fastest-growing re ligion. ABCNEWS, Abcnews.com "Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country." NEWSDAY, March 7, 1989, p.4 "Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the United States..." NEW YORK TIMES, Feb 21, 1989, p.1 "Moslems are the world's fastest-growing group..." USA TODAY, The population ref erance bureau, Feb. 17, 1989, p.4A "Muhammed is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities. " Encyclopedia Britannica "There are more Muslims in North America then Jews Now." Dan Rathers, ABCNEWS "Islam is the fastest growing religion in North America." TIMES MAGAZINE "Islam continues to grow in America, and no one can doubt that!" CNN, December 1 5, 1995 "The religion of Islam is growing faster than any other religion in the world." MIKE WALLACE, 60 MINUTES "Five to 6 million strong, Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, E piscopalians, and Mormons, and they are more numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christian Scientist s, combined. Many demographers say Islam has overtaken Judaism as the country's second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane." JOHAN BLANK, USNEWS (7/20/98) "In fact, religion experts say Islam is the second-largest religion in the d States... Islam has 5 million to 6 million members, followed by Judaism, approximately 4.5 million..... And Islam is believed to be fastest-growing ion in the country, with half its expansion coming from new immigrants and ther half from conversions." By ELSA C. ARNETT Knight-Ridder News Service Unite with relig the o -

Professor Keith Moore, one of the world s prominent scientists of anatomy and embr yology. University of Toronto, Canada. "It has been a great pleasure for me to h elp clarify statements in the Qur an about human development. It is clear to me th at these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, or 'Allah', because alm ost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This pr oves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of Allah." "But Islam has a still further service to render to the cause of humanity. It st

ands after all nearer to the real East than Europe does, and it possesses a magn ificent tradition of inter-racial understanding and cooperation. No other societ y has such a record of success uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity, and of endeavours so many and so various races of mankind . . . Islam has still the power to reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements of race and tradition . If ever the opposition of the great societies of East and West is to be replac ed by cooperation, the mediation of Islam is an indispensable condition. In its hands lies very largely the solution of the problem with which Europe is faced i n its relation with East. If they unite, the hope of a peaceful issue is immeasu rably enhanced. But if Europe, by rejecting the cooperation of Islam, throws it into the arms of its rivals, the issue can only be disastrous for both." --H.A.R . Gibb, WHITHER ISLAM, London, 1932, p. 379. "It (Islam) replaced monkishness by manliness. It gives hope to the slave, broth erhood to mankind, and recognition of the fundamental facts of human nature." -Canon Taylor, Paper read before the Church Congress at Walverhamton, Oct. 7, 188 7; Quoted by Arnoud in THE PREACHING OF ISLAM, pp. 71-72. The founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is M uhammed. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we m ay well ask, is there any man greater than he? " Lamartine, Historie de la Turqu ie, Paris 1854, Vol. 11 pp. 276-2727 "If a man like Muhammed were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness." George Bernard Shaw "How, for instance, can any other appeal stand against that of the Moslem who, i n approaching the pagan, says to him, however obscure or degraded he may be 'Emb race the faith, and you are at once equal and a brother.' Islam knows no color l ine." (S. S. Leeder, VEILED MYSTERIES OF EGYPT) Professor William W. Hay is one of the best known marine scientists in the Unite d States for satellite photography and emote-sensing techniques. Professor Hay r eplied: I find it very interesting that this sort of information is in the ancie nt scripture of the Holy Qur an, and I have no way of knowing where they would com e from, but I think it is extremely interesting that they are there and that thi s work is going on to discover it, the meaning of some of the passages. Professo r Hay: Well, I would think it must be the divine being! Professor Yushudi Kusan: Director of the Tokyo Observatory, I can say, I am very mush impressed by finding true astronomical facts in the Qur aan. Professor Alfred Kroner who is one of the world s most famous geologists: "Thinkin g about many of these questions and thinking where Muhammad came from, he was af ter all a bedouin. I think it is almost impossible that he could have known abou t things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only fo und out within the last few years with very complicated and advanced technologic al methods that this is the case. Dr. T.V.N. Persaud is a Professor of Anatomy and Head of the Department of Anato my, and a professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winn ipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is the author or editor of 25 books, and has publishe d over 181 scientific papers. In 1991, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada. "It seems to me that Muhammad was a very ordinary man. He could not read or write. In fact, he was illiterate. We a re talking about 1400 years ago. You have someone who was illiterate making prof ound pronouncement and statements and are amazingly accurate about scientific na ture. I personally cannot see how this could be mere chance. There are too many accuracy s and, like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind in concerning that

this is a divine inspiration or revelation which led him to these statements." Joe Leigh Simpson, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the North Western U niversity in Chicago in the United States of America. Professor Simpson said: It follows, I think, that not only is there no conflict between genetics and relig ion, but in fact religion can guide science by adding revelation to some traditi onal scientific approaches. That there exists statements in the Qur an shown by sc ience to be valid, which supports knowledge in the Qur an having been derived from Allah. Professor Palmer a scientist from the U.S.: We need research into the history of early Middle Eastern oral traditions to know whether in fact such historical ev ents have been reported. If there is no such record, it strengthens the belief t hat Allah transmitted through Muhammad bits of his knowledge that we have only d iscovered for ourselves in recent times. We look forward to a continuing dialogu e on the topic of science in the Qur an in the context of geology. Thank you very much. Professor Tagata Tagasone, formerly Head of the Department of Anatomy and Embryo logy at the University of Shiang Mai in Thailand. He is now the Dean of the Coll ege of the Medicine at the University. From my studies and from what I have lear ned throughout this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Qur aan 1400 years ago must be the truth, that can be proved by the scient ific means. Since the Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write, Muhammad mu st be a messenger who relayed this truth which was revealed to him as an enlight enment by the One Who is an eligible Creator. This Creator must be Allah, or All aah. Therefore, I think this is the time to say Laa ilaaha illAllaah , that there i s no Allah to worship except Allah, Muhammad Rasool Allaah , Muhammad is messenger of Allah... Professor Armstrong, Scientist works at NASA, "I am impressed that how remarkabl y some of the ancient writings seem to correspond to modern and recent Astronomy . There may well have to be something beyond what we understand as ordinary huma n experience to account for the writings that we have seen." Professor Dorja Rao, "It is difficult to imagine that this type of knowledge was existing at that time, around 1400 years back. May be some of the things they h ave simple idea about, but do describe those things in great detail is very diff icult. So, this is definitely not a simple human knowledge." "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only m an in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular lev el." --Michael H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HI STORY, New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc., 1978, p. 33. "No other society has such a record of success in uniting in an equality of stat us, of opportunity and endeavour so many and so varied races of mankind. The gre at Muslim communities of Africa, India and Indonesia, perhaps also the small com munity in Japan, show that Islam has still the power to reconcile apparently irr econcilable elements of race and tradition. If ever the opposition of the great societies of the East and west is to be replaced by cooperation, the mediation o f Islam is an indispensable condition." (H.A.R. Gibb, WHITHER ISLAM, p. 379) "The nation's claim to be a Christian country is about to meet its first challen ge: the number of practising Muslims is set to overtake Anglican Christians.... There has also been a number of high-profile conversions to Islam from Christian ity. These include Mike Tyson, the former world champion boxer; Chris Eubank, th e British middleweight boxing champion, who has changed his name to Hamdan; and Cat Stevens, the pop musician, who calls himself Yousef Islam.... Prince Charles

courted controversy earlier this year when he reaffirmed his claim that when he succeeds the throne, he does not wish to be the defender of only the Christian faith." Rajeev Syal and Christopher Morgan Sunday Times (London, U.K.) "I have studied him - the wonderful man - and in my opinion far from being an an ti-Christ he must be called the saviour of humanity. " George Bernard Shaw in "T he Genuine Islam" "Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about A.D. 570 into an A rabian tribe that worshipped idols. Orphaned at birth, he was always particularl y solicitous of the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan, the slave and the downtrodden. At twenty, he was already a successful businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five, hi s employer, recognizing his merit, proposed marriage. Even though she was fiftee n years older, he married her, and as long as she lived, remained a devoted husb and. "Like almost every major prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the transmitter of God's word, sensing his own inadequacy. But the angel com manded 'Read.' So far as we know, Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he b egan to dictate those inspired words which would soon revolutionize a large segm ent of the earth: 'There is one God.' "In all things Muhammad was profoundly pra ctical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred, and rumours of G od's personal condolence quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to have annou nced, 'An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish to attribute such thi ngs to the death or birth of a human being. "At Muhammad's own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successo r killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: 'If there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God y ou worshipped, He lives forever." --James A. Michener, "Islam: The Misunderstood Religion," in READER'S DIGEST (American edition), May 1955, pp. 68-70. "In little more than a year he was actually the spiritual, nominal and temporal rule of Medina, with his hands on the lever that was to shake the world." John A ustin, "Muhammad the Prophet of Allah," in T.P. 's and Cassel's Weekly for 24th September 1927. "Everything made so much sense. This is the beauty of the Qur'an; it asks you to reflect and reason....When I read the Qur'an further, it talked about prayer, k indness and charity. I was not a Muslim yet, but I felt the only answer for me w as the Qur'an and God had sent it to me." Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), former Brit ish pop star. "Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born at Mecca, in Arabia the man who, of all men exercised the greatest influence upon the human race . . . Mohammed . . . " John William Draper, M.D., L.L.D., A History of the Intelle ctual Development of Europe, London 1875, Vol.1, pp.329-330 "Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgott en by those around him." Diwan Chand Sharma, The Prophets of the East, Calcutta 1935, p. l 22. "People like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People like Gandhi and Confucius, on one hand, and Alexander, Caesar and Hitler on the other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the third sense. Jesus and Buddha belong in th e third category alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Mohammed, w ho combined all three functions. To a lesser degree, Moses did the same." Profes sor Jules Masserman Ahmed Versi, editor of the weekly Muslim News, said the growth of Islam has been constant: "The younger generation of Muslims that I have encountered is becomin g more aware of its Muslim identity and is therefore practising its faith with v

igour." "The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstandi ng achievements of Islam and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue..." (A.J. Toynbee, CIVI LIZATION ON TRIAL, New York, p. 205) "Sense of justice is one of the most wonderful ideals of Islam, because as I rea d in the Qur'an I find those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practica l ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to the whole world." --Lectures on "The Ideals of Islam;" see SPEECHES AND WRITINGS OF SAROJINI NAIDU, Madras, 191 8, p. 167. "History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping t hrough the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered race s is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeat ed." --De Lacy O'Leary, ISLAM AT THE CROSSROADS, London, 1923, p. 8. "The Muslim community is much more aware of its religion and the use that religi on plays within its community." Dr Peter Brierley, executive director of the Chr istian Research Association, a London-based charity "I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its w onderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that a ssimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself ap peal to every age. I have studied him - the wonderful man and in my opinion for from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he w ould succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much neede d peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it wou ld be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable t o the Europe of today." --G.B. Shaw, THE GENUINE ISLAM, Vol. 1, No. 81936. "A growing number of Muslims in America, more than 40 percent are African-Americ an," Charles Bierbauer, from the Senior Washington Correspondent "The extinction of ng achievements of a crying need for LIZATION ON TRIAL, race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstandi Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, the propagation of this Islamic virtue." --A.J. Toynbee, CIVI New York, 1948, p. 205.

"The rise of Islam is perhaps the most amazing event in human history. Springing from a land and a people like previously negligible, Islam spread within a cent ury over half the earth, shattering great empires, overthrowing long established religions, remoulding the souls of races, and building up a whole new world" world of Islam. "The closer we examine this development the more extraordinary does it appear. T he other great religions won their way slowly, by painful struggle and finally t riumphed with the aid of powerful monarchs converted to the new faith. Christian ity had its Constantine, Buddhism its Asoka, and Zoroastrianism its Cyrus, each lending to his chosen cult the mighty force of secular authority. Not so Islam. Arising in a desert land sparsely inhabited by a nomad race previously undisting uished in human annals, Islam sallied forth on its great adventure with the slen derest human backing and against the heaviest material odds. Yet Islam triumphed with seemingly miraculous ease, and a couple of generations saw the Fiery Cresc ent borne victorious from the Pyrenees to the Himalayas and from the desert of C entral Asia to the deserts of Central Africa." --A.M.L. Stoddard, quoted in ISLA

M - THE RELIGION OF ALL PROPHETS, Begum Bawani Waqf, Karachi, Pakistan, p. 56. "I am not a Muslim in the usual sense, though I hope I am a "Muslim" as "one sur rendered to God," but I believe that embedded in the Quran and other expressions of the Islamic vision are vast stores of divine truth from which I and other oc cidentals have still much to learn, and 'Islam is certainly a strong contender f or the supplying of the basic framework of the one religion of the future.'" --W . Montgomery Watt, ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY TODAY, London, 1983, p. ix. 'I believe in One God and Mohammed the Apostle of God,' is the simple and invari able profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been deg raded by any visible idol; the honours of the prophet have never transgressed th e measure of human virtue, and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." --Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay, HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRE, London, 1870, p. 54. "He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's pretensions, Caes ar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue; if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammed, for he had all the power wit hout its instruments and without its supports." --Bosworth Smith, MOHAMMAD AND M OHAMMADANISM, London, 1874, p. 92. "His readiness to undergo persecutions for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the greatnes s of his ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad." --W. Montgomery Watt, MOHAMMAD AT MECCA, Oxford, 1953, p. 52. "The doctrine of brotherhood of Islam extends to all human beings, no matter wha t color, race or creed. Islam is the only religion which has been able to realiz e this doctrine in practice. Muslims wherever on the world they are will recogni ze each other as brothers." Mr. R. L. Mellema, Holland, Anthropologist, Writer a nd Scholar. "It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Pro phet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but r everence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. An d although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher." --Annie Besant, THE LIFE A ND TEACHINGS OF MUHAMMAD, Madras, 1932, p. 4. "The essential and definite element of my conversion to Islam was the Qur'an. I began to study it before my conversion with the critical spirit of a Western int ellectual .... There are certain verses of this book, the Qur'an, revealed more than thirteen centuries ago, which teach exactly the same notions as the most mo dern scientific researches do. This definitely converted me." Ali Selman Benoist , France, Doctor of Medicine. "I have read the Sacred Scriptures of every religion; nowhere have I found what I encountered in Islam: perfection. The Holy Qur'an, compared to any other scrip ture I have read, is like the Sun compared to that of a match. I firmly believe that anybody who reads the Word of Allah with a mind that is not completely clos ed to Truth, will become a Muslim." Saifuddin Dirk Walter Mosig, U.S.A. "The universal brotherhood of Islam, regardless of race, politics, color or coun try, has been brought home to me most keenly many times in my life -- and this i s another feature which drew me towards the Faith." Col. Donald S. Rockwell, U.S

.A. Poet, Critic and Author. "Medieval Islam was technologically advanced and open to innovation. It achieved far higher literacy rates than in contemporary Europe; it assimilated the legac y of classical Greek civilization to such a degree that many classical books are now known to us only through Arabic copies. It invented windmills ,trigonometry , lateen sails and made major advances in metallurgy, mechanical and chemical en gineering and irrigation methods. In the middle-ages the flow of technology was overwhelmingly from Islam to Europe rather from Europe to Islam. Only after the 1500's did the net direction of flow begin to reverse." (pg 253) Jared Diamond a world renowned UCLA sociologist, and physiologist who won the Pulitzer Prize fo r his book: "Guns, Germs, and Steel." **************************************************************** Common Misconceptions about Islam http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=227:common-mis conceptions-about-islam&catid=54:common-misinterpretations-of-islam&Itemid=173 Is Allaah a different God? Do Muslims worship Muhammad? Is Islam for Arabs only? the answer NO!! These are just some of many misconceptions about Islam that you may learn about in this article. "Many non-Muslims, when they think about Islam, picture religious fanatics on ca mels with a sword in one hand and a Qur'an in the other. This myth, which was ma de popular in Europe during the Crusades, is totally baseless." Misconception #1: Muslims worship a different God First of all, there is only One God who created the Universe and all of mankind. Throughout history, people have created false gods in their minds and come up w ith false ideas about Almighty God, but regardless of this there is still only O ne True God - and He alone is worthy of worship. Unfortunately, some non-Muslims have come to incorrectly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians. This might be due to the fact that Muslims sometimes refer to G od as "Allah", but also because over the centuries there have been many lies and distortions spread by the enemies of Islam. In actuality, Muslims worship the G od of Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus --- the same God as Christians and Jews. Th e word "Allah" is simply the Arabic name of Almighty God (mentioned to mankind i n the Qur'an) and it is the same word that Arabic speaking Christians and Jews u se to refer to God. If you pick up an Arabic translation of the Christian Bible, you will see the word "Allah" where "God" is used in English. For more informat ion on the word "Allah", please read the section: Who is Allah? But even though Muslims, Jews and Christians believe in the same God, their concepts about Him d iffer quite a bit. For example, Muslims reject the idea of the Trinity or that G od has become "incarnate" in the world. Also, the teachings of Islam do not rely on or appeal to "mystery" or "paradox" --- they are straightforward and clear. Islam teaches that God is Merciful, Loving and Compassionate and that He has no need to become man (nor do humans need for Him to). One of the unique aspects of Islam is that it teaches that man can have a personal and fulfilling relationsh ip with Almighty God without compromising the transcendence of God. In Islam the re is no ambiguity in Divinity --- God is God and man is man. Muslims believe th at God is the "Most Merciful", and that he deals directly with human-beings with out the need of any intermediary. Actually, the phrase "In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful" is one of the most repeated verses in the Holy Qur' an. Additionally, the pure and straightforward teachings of Islam demand that Al mighty God be approached directly and without intermediaries. This is because Mu slims believe that God is completely in control of everything and that He can be stow His Grace and Mercy on His creatures as He pleases - no Atonement, Incarnat

ion or blood sacrifice is necessary. In summary, Islam calls people to submit to the One True God and to worship Him alone. Misconception #2: Muslims worship Muhammad According to Islamic belief, the Prophet Muhammad was the last Messenger of God. He, like all of God's prophets and messengers - such as Noah, Abraham, Moses an d Jesus -- was only a human being. Christians came to the mistaken assumption th at Muslims worship Muhammad by formulating an incorrect analogy - they worship J esus so they assumed Muslims worship Muhammad. This is one of the reasons that t hey called Muslims by the incorrect name "Mohammedans" for so many years! Muhamm ad, like Jesus, never claimed divine status. He called people to worship only Al mighty God, and he continually emphasized his humanity so that people would not fall into the same errors as Christians did in regards to Jesus. In order to pre vent his deification, the Prophet Muhammad always said to refer to him as "the M essenger of God and His slave". Muhammad was chosen to be God's final messenger --- to communicate the message not only in words but to be a living example of t he message. Muslims love and respect him because he was of the highest moral cha racter and he brought the Truth from God - which is the Pure Monotheism of Islam . Even when Islam was in its very early stages, God revealed that Muhammad "was sent as a mercy to all of mankind" - thus informing us that the message of Islam would become very widespread. Muslims strive to follow the great example of Muh ammad, peace be upon him, but they do not worship him in any way. Additionally, Islam teaches Muslims to respect all of God's prophets and messengers - but resp ecting and loving them does not mean worshipping them. All true Muslims realize that all worship and prayer must be directed to Almighty God alone. Suffice it t o say that worshipping Muhammad --- or anyone else --- along with Almighty God i s considered to be the worst sin in Islam. Even if a person claims to be Muslim, but they worship and pray to other than Almighty God, this cancels and nullifie s their Islam. The Declaration of Faith of Islam makes it clear that Muslims are taught only to worship God. This declaration is as follows: "There is nothing d ivine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, and Muhammad is the Messenger and Servant of God".

Misconception #3: Islam is a religion only for Arabs The fastest way to prove that this is completely false is to state the fact that only about 15% to 20% of the Muslims in the world are Arabs. There are more Ind ian Muslims than Arab Muslims, and more Indonesian Muslims than Indian Muslims! Believing that Islam is only a religion for Arabs is a myth that was spread by t he enemies of Islam early in its history. This mistaken assumption is possibly b ased on the fact that most of the first generation of Muslims were Arabs, the Qu r'an is in Arabic and the Prophet Muhammad was an Arab. However, both the teachi ngs of Islam and the history of its spread show that the early Muslims made ever y effort to spread their message of Truth to all nations, races and peoples. Fur thermore, it should be clarified that not all Arabs are Muslims and not all Musl ims are Arabs. An Arab can be a Muslim, Christian, Jew, atheist - or of any othe r religion or ideology. Also, many countries that some people consider to be "Ar ab" are not "Arab" at all -- such as Turkey and Iran (Persia). The people who li ve in these countries speak languages other than Arabic as their native tongues and are of a different ethnic heritage than the Arabs. It is important to realiz e that from the very beginning of the mission of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, his followers came from a wide spectrum of individuals -- there was Bilal, the African slave; Suhaib, the Byzantine Roman; Ibn Sailam, the Jewish Rabbi; a nd Salman, the Persian. Since religious truth is eternal and unchanging, and man kind is one universal brotherhood, Islam teaches that Almighty God's revelations to mankind have always been consistent, clear and universal. The Truth of Islam

is meant for all people regardless of race, nationality or linguistic backgroun d. Taking a look at the Muslim World, from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia t o Afghanistan is enough to prove that Islam is a Universal message for all of ma nkind --- not to mention the fact that significant numbers of Europeans and Amer icans of all races and ethnic backgrounds are coming into Islam. Misconception #4: Islam degrades women Even though many aspects of Islam are misunderstood by non-Muslims, the ignoranc e, misinformation and incorrect assumptions that are made in regards to Islam's treatment of women are probably the most severe. Numerous verses of the Qur'an m ake it clear that men and women are equal in the site of God. According to the t eachings of Islam, the only thing that distinguishes people in the site of God i s their level of God-consciousness. Due to this, many people are surprised to fi nd out that Islamic Law guaranteed rights to women over 1400 years ago that wome n in the Europe and America only obtained recently. For example, Islam clearly t eaches that a woman is a full-person under the law, and is the spiritual equal o f a male. Also, according to Islamic Law, women have the right to own property, operate a business and receive equal pay for equal work. Women are allowed total control of their wealth, they cannot be married against their will and they are allowed to keep their own name when married. Additionally, they have the right to inherit property and to have their marriage dissolved in the case of neglect or mistreatment. Also, Islam does not consider woman an "evil temptress", and th us does not blame woman for the "original sin". Women in Islam participate in al l forms of worship that men participate in. Actually, the rights that Islam gave to women over 1400 years ago were almost unheard of in the West until the 1900s . Less than fifty years ago in England and America, a woman could not buy a hous e or car without the co-signature of her father or husband! Additionally, Islam gives great respect to women and their role in society --- it gives them the rig ht to own property, marry who they want and many other rights. Also, it should b e mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad's mission stopped many of the horrible pra ctices in regards to women that were present in the society of his time. For exa mple, the Qur'an put an end to the pagan Arab practice of killing their baby dau ghters when they were born. Additionally, Islam put restrictions on the unrestri cted polygamy of the Arabs of the time, and put many laws in place to protect th e well-being of women. Today, most of the so-called reforms in the status of wom en came about after the West abandoned religion for secularism. Even those in th e West who claim to follow the so-called "Judaeo-Christian tradition" really fol low the values of Western liberalism --- but just to a lesser degree than their more liberal countrymen. For more on this subject, please read: Women in Islam v ersus Women in the Judaeo-Christian Tradition --- The Myth and The Reality. If w omen in the Muslim World today don't have their rights, it is not because Islam did not give them to them. The problem is that in many places alien traditions h ave come to overshadow the teachings of Islam, either through ignorance or the i mpact of Colonialization.

Misconception #5: Muhammad wrote the Qur'an In addressing this misconception, it is interesting to not that no other religio us scripture claims to the direct word of Almighty in toto as clear and as often as the Holy Qur'an. As the Qu'ran clearly says: "if had been written by man, yo u would have found many discrepancies therein". At the time the Qur'an was revea led, the Arabs recognized that the language of the Qur'an was unique and that it was distinctly different from the language normally used by the Prophet Muhamma d, peace be upon him. The Arabs of that time, by the way, were known for their b eautiful poetry and Muhammad was known to be an illiterate man! The Qur'an clear ly says that Muhammad was unable to read and write, so if this wasn't true, cert

ainly his contemporaries would have protested and rejected him. However, there a re no reports of this. Certainly there were people who rejected Muhammad's messa ge, just like other prophets were rejected, but none for this reason. On the con trary, Muhammad, peace be upon him, had thousands of loyal followers and the res ults of their efforts spread Islam from Spain to China in just over a century! I t is also interesting to note that even though the Qu'ran is not poetry, the Ara bs more or less gave up writing poetry after it was revealed. It could be said t hat the Qur'an is the piece of Arabic literature par execellance - and Muhammad' s contemporaries realized that they couldn't out do it. Additionally, it is easy to prove that Muhammad did not possess a great deal of the knowledge which is e xpounded in the Qur'an: such as knowledge of historical events, previous prophet s and natural phenomenon. The Qur'an says in several places that Muhammad and hi s people did not know these things - so, again, if this wasn't true, certainly h is contemporaries would have rejected his claims. Suffice it to say that not onl y is the Qu'ran the most memorized and well preserved scripture on earth, it is also unequaled in eloquence, spirtual impact, clarity of message and the purity of its truth. Misconception #6: Islam was spread by the sword Many non-Muslims, when they think about Islam, picture religious fanatics on cam els with a sword in one hand and a Qur'an in the other. This myth, which was mad e popular in Europe during the Crusades, is totally baseless. First of all, the Holy Qur'an clearly says "Let there be no compulsion in religion". In addition t o this, Islam teaches that a person's faith must be pure and sincere, so it is c ertainly not something that can be forced on someone. In debunking the myth that Islam was "spread by the sword", the (non-Muslim) historian De Lacy O' Leary wr ote: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims swee ping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquere d races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever accepted." (Islam at the Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8.). It should also be kno wn that Muslims ruled Spain for roughly 800 years. During this time, and up to w hen they were finally forced out, the non-Muslims there were alive and flourishi ng. Additionally, Christian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim la nds of the Middle East for centuries. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestin e, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan all have Christian and/or Jewish populations. If Is lam taught that all people are supposed to be killed or forced to become Muslims , how did all of these non-Muslims survive for so long in the middle of the Isla mic Empire? Additionally, if one considers the small number of Muslims who initi ally spread Islam from Spain and Morocco in the West to India and China in the E ast, one would realize that they were far too few to force people to be members of a religion against their will. Additionally, the great empire and civilizatio n established by the Muslims had great staying power -- its citizens were proud to be part of it. The spread of Islam stands in contrast to the actions of the f ollowers of Christianity, who since the time of the Emperor Constantine have mad e liberal use of the sword - often basing their conduct on Biblical verses. This was especially true of the colonization of South America and Africa, where nati ve peoples were systematically wiped-out or forced to convert. It is also intere sting to note that when the Mongols invaded and conquered large portions of the Islamic Empire, instead of destroying the religion, they adopted it. This is a u nique occurrence in history - the conquerors adopting the religion of the conque red! Since they were the victors, they certainly could not have been forced to b ecome Muslims! Ask any of the over one billion Muslims alive in the world today whether they were forced! The largest Muslim country in the world today is Indon esia --- and there were never any battles fought there! So where was the sword? How could someone be forced to adhere to a spiritually rewarding and demanding r eligion like Islam?

Misconception #7: Muslims hate Jesus Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out that according to Muslim belief, Jesu s, the son of Mary, is one of the greatest messengers of God. Muslims are taught to love Jesus, and a person cannot be a Muslim without believing in the virgin birth and miracles of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. Muslims believe these thi ngs about Jesus not because of the Bible or any other religion, but simply becau se the Holy Qur'an says these things about him. However, Muslims always emphasiz e that the miracles of Jesus, and all other prophets, were by "God's permission" . This having been said, many Christians feel to not believe that Jesus is the " Son of God", "God Incarnate" or the "Third Person" of the Trinity. This is becau se the Qur'an clearly says that Almighty God does not have a "Son" --- neither a llegorically, physically, metaphorically or metaphysically. The Pure Monotheism of Islam rejects the notion of "defining" God (which is basically what the "Doct rine of the Trinity" does), saying that someone is "like" God or equal to him, o r praying to someone else besides God. Also, Islam teaches that titles such as " Lord" and "Savior" are due to God alone. In order to avoid misunderstanding, it should be clarified that when Muslims criticize the Bible or the teachings of Ch ristianity, they are not attacking "God's Word" or Jesus Christ, peace be upon h im. From the Muslim point of view, they are defending Jesus and God's Word --- w hich they have in the form of the Qur'an. Muslim criticism is targeted at writin gs that some people claim are God's word, but Muslim's simply don't accept their claim that they are really God's word in toto. Additionally, Christian doctrine s such as the Trinity and the Atonement are criticized by Muslims precisely beca use they did not originate from Jesus, peace be upon him. In this way, Muslims a re the true followers of Jesus, peace be upon him, because they defend him from the exaggerations of the Christians and teach the Pure Monotheism that Jesus him self followed. Misconception #8: Islam is fatalistic Most Muslims find it rather odd that their religion, which strikes a beautiful b alance between faith and action, could be accused of being "fatalistic". Perhaps this misconception came about because Muslims are taught to say "Praise be to G od!" whenever anything good or bad happens. This is because Muslims know that ev erything comes from Almighty God, who is the All-Knowing Sustainer of the Univer se, and that since a Muslim should rely completely on God, whatever happened mus t have been for the better. However, this does not mean that Muslims are not tau ght to take action in life --- just the opposite is true. Islam requires not onl y faith, but action --- such as regular prayer, fasting and charity. To be more precise, in Islam actions are part of one's faith. Islam total rejects the extre me beliefs of some religions that teach that you shouldn't go to a doctor when s ick, but only pray for God to heal you. Islam's outlook is very positive, since it teaches that human beings can take positive action in this life. This was cer tainly what was taught by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to his followers --- since they obviously took the action of spreading Islam from Spain to Morocc o in a very short period of time. Even though Islam teaches that God knows what human beings will do before they do it, human beings still have free will. Certa inly God, who is All-Knowing and All-Wise, knows what is going to happen to ever yone before it happens -- to deny this would be a denial of God Himself. However , if human-beings did not have free will, it would be ridiculous and un-just for God to demand that they do certain things and believe certain things. Far from being "fatalistic", Islam teaches that a human-being's main purpose in life is t o be God-conscious. Due to this, Muslims worry less about material matters and v iew their earthly life in a proper perspective. This is due to the fact that Isl am clearly teaches that if people worship and depend on Almighty God alone, then they have nothing to worry about - since God wants what is best for them. True freedom, from the Islamic perspective, does not mean aimlessly following all of your human desires for food, drink, wealth and sex. On the contrary, freedom mea

ns being able to control one's base desires and fulfilling them in a proper and legal way. This brings one's desires in tune with what God wants for us --- only then is a person truly free! Misconception #9: The Islamic Threat In recent years, a great deal of attention in the media have been given to the t hreat of "Islamic Fundamentalism". Unfortunately, due to a twisted mixture of bi ased reporting in the Western media and the actions of some ignorant Muslims, th e word "Islam" has become almost synonymous with "terrorism". However, when one analyzes the situation, the question that should come to mind is: Do the teachin gs of Islam encourage terrorism? The answer: Certainly not! Islam totally forbid s the terrorist acts that are carried out by some misguided people. It should be remembered that all religions have cults and misguided followers, so it is thei r teachings that should be looked at, not the actions of a few individuals. Unfo rtunately, in the media, whenever a Muslim commits a heinous act, he is labeled a "Muslim terrorist". However, when Serbs murder and rape innocent women in Bosn ia, they are not called "Christian terrorists", nor are the activities in Northe rn Ireland labeled "Christian terrorism". Also, when right-wing Christians in th e U.S. bomb abortion clinics, they are not called "Christian terrorists". Reflec ting on these facts, one could certainly conclude that there is a double-standar d in the media! Although religious feelings play a significant role in the previ ously mentioned "Christian" conflicts, the media does not apply religious labels because they assume that such barbarous acts have nothing to do with the teachi ngs of Christianity. However, when something happens involving a Muslim, they of ten try to put the blame on Islam itself -- and not the misguided individual. Ce rtainly, Islamic Law allows war (based on proper circumstance) --- any religion or civilization that did not would never survive --- but it certainly does not c ondone attacks against innocent people, women or children. The Arabic word "jiha d", which is often translated as "Holy War", simply means "to struggle". The wor d for "war" in Arabic is "harb", not "jihad". "Struggling", i.e. "making jihad", to defend Islam, Muslims or to liberate a land where Muslims are oppressed is c ertainly allowed (and even encouraged) in Islam. However, any such activities mu st be done according to the teachings of Islam and the guidance and rulings of t he scholars and nation leaders. Islam also clearly forbids "taking the law into your own hands", which means that individual Muslims cannot go around deciding w ho they want to kill, punish or torture. Trial and punishment must be carried ou t by a lawful authority and a knowledgeable judge. Also, when looking at events in the Muslim World, it should be kept in mind that a long period of colonialism ended fairly recently in most Muslim countries. During this time, the peoples i n this countries were culturally, materially and religiously exploited - mostly by the so-called "Christian" nations of the West. This painful period has not re ally come to an end in many Muslim countries, where people are still under the c ontrol of foreign powers or puppet regimes supported by foreign powers. Also, th rough the media, people in the West are made to believe that tyrants like Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Moamar Qaddafi in Libya are "Islamic" leaders -- when just the opposite is true. Neither of these rulers even profess Islam as an ideology, but only use Islamic slogans to manipulate their powerless populations. They ha ve about as much to do with Islam as Hitler had to do with Christianity! In real ity, some regimes which people think of as being "Islamic" oppress the practice of Islam in their countries. So suffice it to say that "terrorism" and killing i nnocent people directly contradicts the teachings of Islam. ****************************************************************************** Jesus - Lord or Messenger? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 5&Itemid=208

Jesus, the noble Messenger of Allah carried the same call of all Prophets and Me ssengers; that none is be worshiped except the Creator. He never affirmed divini ty for himself, nor did any Prophet or Messenger before him. He was a humble ser vant and Messenger of his Lord, who performed miracles by Allah's permission in order to prove his prophecy and guide the people away from the darkness of pagan ism and polytheism and to return them back to the way of Abraham, the monetheist ic religion of Islam (worshiping God alone). ******************************************************************************* What was the Religion of Christ Jesus? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=264:what-was-t he-religion-of-christ-jesus&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messenger&Itemid=174 An intriguing lecture exploring the true religion of the Jesus the Messiah. An intriguing lecture exploring the true religion of the Jesus the Messiah. The lecturer explains the Islamic belief in Jesus (based upon Quranic evidence) an d challenges the listener to produce a clear emphatic text from the Bible suppo rting the modern-day Trinitarian belief of Jesus being God and an object of Wors hip. Using primarily textual evidence (from a variety of sources, Muslim and non -Muslim) and sound reasoning, the audience is encouraged to adopt the actual rel igion of the beloved Prophet Jesus, the same religion as Moses, Abraham and Muha mmad (may Allaah be pleased with all of them), that being the religion of tawhee d (monotheism). A poignant exchange between the lecturer and the attendees follows in the Q&A pe riod; this lecture is an important eye-opener and an inspirational plea to one w ho truly loves Jesus, to follow his religion and to worship his Lord, the Creato r of all. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/whatwasthereligionofchristjesus.mp3 ******************************************************************************** ********* The Correct Name of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=153:the-correc t-name-of-jesus-and-the-immaculate-conception&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messenger&I temid=174 Ever wondered why Jesus is called 'Jesus', when this wasn't the name given to hi m? What do Muslims believe in regards to Mariam (Mary) and the issue of immacula te conception? Does the Qur'an speak about these issues... "So we should ask ourselves, is it still possible for such a complex being such as ourselves, to be a mere product of chance, or rather, are we products of a su preme and skilful creator, who has shown us that he really is al -Khaaliq? - Inv itation to Islaam Newsletter" The second in the series of recorded radio broadcasts from the 'Voice of Islam', Kingston, Jamaica. The series [True Nature of Jesus] focuses on the reality of Jesus, a Prophet and Messenger who called to the monotheistic Islamic faith (sin gling out the Lord and Creator alone in worship). In this session, the focus is establishing the reality that some of the followers of Jesus were indeed upon a monotheistic faith, and that it was Paul who 'developed' the polytheistic belief

s which set the standard for modern day Christianity. Examples from the Qur'an a re illustrated to explain the reality of Jesus and his call. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/nameofjesusimmaculateconception.mp3 ******************************************************************************** **************** Jesus, the Servant, Messenger and Worshipper of God http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126:jesus-theservant-messenger-and-worshipper-of-god&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messenger&Itemid= 174 In this session, the focus is establishing the reality that some of the follower s of Jesus were indeed upon a monotheistic faith, and that it was Paul who 'deve loped' the polytheistic beliefs which set the standard for modern day Christiani ty. Examples from the Qur'an are illustrated to explain the reality of Jesus and his call. The first in the series of recorded radio broadcasts from the 'Voice of Is lam', Kingston, Jamaica. The series [True Nature of Jesus] focuses on the realit y of Jesus, a Prophet and Messenger who called to the monotheistic Islamic faith (singling out the Lord and Creator alone in worship). In this session, the focu s is establishing the reality that some of the followers of Jesus were indeed up on a monotheistic faith, and that it was Paul who 'developed' the polytheistic b eliefs which set the standard for modern day Christianity. Examples from the Qur 'an are illustrated to explain the reality of Jesus and his call. Listen to this Lecture... http://www.islaam.ca/downloads/audio/truenaturevol1.mp3 ******************************************************************************** ********************** Jesus Misquoted in the Gospel? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=228:jesus-misq uoted-in-the-gospel&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messenger&Itemid=174 An article containing the opinion of Christian Scholars concerning the authentic ity of Jesus' statements in the Bible. "In their new book The Five Gospels, the scholars conclude only about 90of the 1 ,500 gospel quotations attributed to Jesus are likely His words. The rest have b een tampered with by writers and revisionists over the centuries." (Opinions of Biblical Scholars)- The Canadian Press (CP)" EDMONTON, ALBERTA (CP) - Has Jesus been misquoted for thousands of years or did he actually utter the words: "I am the light of the world?" An international panel of religious scholars, known as the JesusSeminar, says ma ny of the quotes attributed to Christ were not actuallyspoken by him. In their new book The Five Gospels, the scholars conclude only about 90of the 1, 500 gospel quotations attributed to Jesus are likely His words.The rest have bee n tampered with by writers and revisionists over the centuries, they say. For example, the quote: "I am the light of the world," from the book of John app

ears in no other Gospel, say the scholars, and reflects a speech pattern more co mmon to the Greco-Roman world than that of Christ. The panel - including members of different denominations who all hold Ph.D's - s pent more than seven years struggling to come up with an accurate historic portr ayal of Christ. "It's a historian's approach," says Rev. Bruce Miller. "Having those stories tol d about Jesus doesn't mean that they're really true." The book is called the Five Gospels because it gives credence to St. Thomas, the so- called writer of the fifth Gospel who has been rejected by most Christian d octrine. Only Four Gospels, written by Mark, Matthew, Luke and John have been accepted by traditional Christian Churches. While Thomas's writing on Jesus are sparse, the scholars think his Christ quotat ions are more accurate because they aren't embellished with colorful metaphors. The scholars' conclusions may offend some. "It will be controversial for those p eople who are used to reading the Bible and accepting everything it says," says Miller. The book also challenges the basic Christian belief of Jesus as Son of God or as the Savior. "Jesus appears as a spirit-filled prophet who has compassion for the poor and th e needy. It's later writers who raised Him on a pedestal and claimed that He is God." Christ Himself kept no written records nor did His apostles. The first Gospel, h anded down by oral folklore, was written by Mark nearly 50 years after Jesus die d. "In a sense Mark and Matthew and Luke and John tampered with the original words, " says Miller. "For us, that seems to be quite a terrible thing to do. But in thos e days, they did it all the time." ******************************************************************************** ***** The Islamic View on the Ascension of Jesus http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=229:the-islami c-view-on-the-ascension-of-jesus-&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messenger&Itemid=174 "Jesus, peace be upon him, was raised to heaven alive, and his return to earth w ill be one of the signs that the Day of Judgment is approaching." "According to the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa'ah (i.e. "Orthodox" S unnis), Jesus, peace be upon him, was raised to heaven alive, and his return to earth will be one of the signs that the Day of Judgment is approaching." Dear Friend, All praise be to Almighty God, the Lord of the Universe, and peace be upon His s ervant and messenger, Muhammad. I bear witness that there is nothing divine or w

orthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, and that Muhammad is His serv ant and messenger. He who God guides no one can lead astray, and he who God lead s astray, no one can guide. To continue . . . please let me introduce myself - m y name is 'Abd ar-Rahman Robert Squires. I'm an American Muslim who has been liv ing in Kuwait for just over three years, and I spend a good deal of my time doin g Islamic work and writing on comparative religion issues. The questions that yo u had concerning Surah Maryam, which I believe you submitted via e-mail to the I slamic Presentation Committee in Kuwait, were passed on to me by a colleague. Ho pefully I will be able to answer your questions in a satisfactory manner. First of all, the verses that you quoted in your statement are from Surah Maryam (Chapter 19), verses 30 thru 34. According to Pickthall's translation, which yo u said that you were using, these verses read as follows: "He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allaah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet, And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive, And (hath mad e me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest. Pe ace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised a live! Such was Jesus, son of Mary: (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt." (The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, translated by M. M. Pickthall, Surah 19 - Ma ryam, Verses 30-34) I'm certainly no scholar of the Arabic language, but I have checked a few other translations of the Qur'an, and none of then differ from the above translation i n any significant way. However, I should point out that there is a difference in the translation which you used in submitting your question. Your translation sa id: " . . . and has given me prayer and alms-giving". However, the correct trans lation (and the one contained in Pickthall) says: " . . . and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving" - the difference being "given" versus "enjoined". All of my copies of the Pickthall translation read : " . . . and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving", so I'm not quite sure where the translation that you 're using came from. I think this may have caused you some confusion, as I will address below - insha'llah. Your first question was: "If Jesus is still alive, does Allaah still give him pr ayer and zakat? If he is already in Heaven, there doesn't seem much point in thi s." According to the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa'ah (i.e. "Orthodox" Su nnis), Jesus, peace be upon him, was raised to heaven alive, and his return to e arth will be one of the signs that the Day of Judgment is approaching. These bel iefs are not based on whims or guesswork, but are narrated to us through authent ic hadeeths (sayings/traditions) of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. How ever, your question above seems to be based on the mis-translation that was incl uded with your submittal. Certainly it is not God that "gives" Jesus prayer and zakat, but it was God who "enjoined" these acts upon Jesus, peace be upon him. A s far as what Jesus is now doing up in Heaven, this is a matter of the Unseen kn own only to Almighty God, and as such, it can only be known through Divine Revel ation. I have personally never heard any hadeeths that describe what Jesus, peac e be upon him, is doing up in Heaven (not that this necessarily means there aren 't any), but as a Muslim, I am not allowed to guess when it comes to matters of the Unseen. Certainly, one might say that "there doesn't seem much point in this ", but part of Islam is trusting in the wisdom of Almighty God. I'll discuss thi s issue a bit more below, but suffice it to say that if there was any benefit in us knowing what Jesus, peace be upon him, is now doing up in Heaven, Almighty G od would have revealed it to His Final Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Before moving on to your other questions, I feel that I should mention that the Bible also contains at least two instances of prophets being taken up to Heaven by God before they died. If you look at the Old Testament, II Kings 2:11-12 tell s us: " . . . and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried . . . And he saw him no more . . . ". Also, Genesis 5:24 tells us t hat Enoch "was taken" by God. That this means up into Heaven is confirmed in the New Testament (Hebrews 11:5), where it says: "By faith Enoch was translated tha t he should not see death; and was not found, because God translated him . . . t hat he had pleased God". It is interesting to note that the reason Enoch did not "see death" was that "he had pleased God", which directly contradicts the popul ar Christian myth that all men, including the prophets, were condemned sinners u ntil Jesus, peace be upon him, paid the ransom for their sins. (It is also inter esting to note that (St.) Paul, the author of Hebrews, is referring back to Gene sis 5:24 when he makes this statement. However, his version of the verse is quit e different than Genesis 5:24! It seems that the version of Genesis which he was using back then was rather flawed, since it does not contain anything that real ly supports his claim. Mistakes like this by the New Testament authors are quite common, since they usually relied upon the Septuagint (i.e. the Greek translati on of the Old Testament) instead of the Hebrew Old Testament.) But anyway . . . the main points that should be considered here are two: 1) being taken up into H eaven before death does not imply any sort of "Divinity", since neither Elijah, Enoch nor Muhammad are considered "Divine"; and 2) even though God may state His reason for doing such a thing, i.e. Enoch pleased Him, or to save Jesus from th e Jews, the overall wisdom behind it may still seem strange to us. However, the meaning of Islam is "submission to Almighty God", and realizing that Almighty Go d is the most wise is part of our faith - so we know that if knowing something w ould benefit us, God would have revealed it. By the way, I mentioned Muhammad, p eace be upon him, along with Elijah and Enoch above, because he too was taken up to Heaven. However, he was the only one to come back to earth afterwards - whic h is a unique blessing for him and his followers. While I am still on this point, I guess that I should say that I there are two o ther aspects of this that should be looked at: 1) if Muhammad, peace be upon him , was just a false prophet, as many Christian missionaries and non-Muslims alleg e, why would he have accorded such an honor to Jesus?; and 2) the Muslim view of Jesus, peace be upon him, as a servant and prophet of God, being alive up in He aven seems to make a lot more sense than the Christian view. As you probably kno w, the Bible says that Jesus sits "at the right hand of God", even though he him self is supposed to be an equal member of the Holy Trinity (see Acts 2:33, 7:5556, Romans 8:34, Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 10:12 and 12:12). Notice that the verse s say the right hand of "God", not "the Father", which makes it rather difficult to interpret in a Trinitarian way (at least if one wants to remain a monotheist ). Also, for a believer in Pure Monotheism (i.e. a Muslim), what did or did not hap pen to Jesus, peace be upon him, is of no consequence to their faith - which is in Almighty God alone. Muslims believe what they believe about Jesus (i.e. that he was not crucified and that he was taken up into Heaven) based on Divine Revel ation, not human reason. On the other hand, Christians insist on Jesus' death on the cross because they believe that it needed to occur for their "salvation". H owever, if one understands Pure Monotheism (Arabic: Tawheed) properly, what happ ened to Jesus, peace be upon him, is of no consequence one way or another. Certa inly, Almighty God could have allowed him to be killed (just like other prophets were killed), just as He could have explained what happened to him in greater d etail, if He so wished. However, He - due to His Wisdom - chose not to. And He i s the best disposer of all affairs . . . One question that rings out is that why would the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upo n him, "deny" the crucifixion if he was just a fabricator and opportunist, as th e Christians claim. (Audhu bi-Lah!) The crucifixion was an accepted fact among (

almost all) Christians and Muhammad, peace be upon him, had no additional knowle dge concerning it compared to anyone else at his time (unless, of course, you be lieve that he was a prophet). Based on the fact that even the Christians try to portray Muhammad, peace be upon him, as a gifted diplomat and manipulator, would n't he have been smarter just to accept the crucifixion? Why offend his Christia n audience? He could still preach that Jesus, peace be upon him, was just a man (and not God), even though he was crucified. Neither crucifixion, nor the lack t hereof, prove or disprove anything as far a Jesus' alleged "Divinity". Also, if Muhammad, peace be upon him, had just accepted the alleged crucifixion, many pot ential Christian converts could have entered Islam and just "ridden the fence" b etween Christian and Islamic beliefs - or accepted Islam outright. This would ha ve given Muhammad, peace be upon him, more men in his armies, etc. This is what a "intelligent opportunist" would have done. However, the fact that the Qur'an s ays that the crucifixion did not take place, forces Christians to make a choice. They must choose between Almighty God or Jesus. There's "no riding the fence" b etween the two religions, since the Qur'an clearly states that the crucifixion d id not take place. I remember having to make this choice - al-Hamdu li-Lah! Also , why would Muhammad, peace be upon him, attribute all of these great miracles as well as ascending into Heaven - to Jesus, peace be upon him, if he was just a false prophet and/or "clever opportunist"? Certainly, since he was claiming to be a prophet in the same way Jesus was a prophet, he would certainly be asked t o perform miracles similar to the ones Jesus, peace be upon him, did. In spite o f what Christian missionaries often say about Muhammad, peace be upon him, he di d many miracles, which are documented both in the Qur'an and in the Sunnah. In g eneral, Muslims tend not to focus too much on his miracles, since they were main ly for the people of his time - except for the Qur'an. Additionally, doing mirac les is not a necessary proof of prophethood, since even a great prophet like Abr aham, peace be upon him, didn't work miracles in the same way Jesus, peace be up on him, did. You should consider that even the Bible says that false prophets ca n "work wonders" (Matthew 24:24), so following someone based simply on their abi lity to do miracles is a bit misguided. Food for thought . . . You might say, as Christians often do, that Jesus did miracles by his own power, but other prophets did them by the power of God. However, this completely and c learly contradicts numerous verses in the Bible which prove that Jesus did his m iracles by God's power. For example, in Luke 11:20, Jesus says: " . . . I with t he finger of God cast out devils"; and in John 5:30, Jesus says: "I can of my ow n self do nothing". Additionally, Mark 6:5-6 tells us that Jesus, peace be upon him, went to a certain village and "he could do no miracle" there. Another good proof of this is what Jesus, peace be upon him, says immediate before raising La zarus from the dead: " . . . Father, I thank You that You have heard me. And I k now that You always hear me, but because of the people standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent me." (John 11:41-42). This verse makes it cl ear that Jesus, peace be upon him, wanted the people to know that it was God tha t was doing the miracle not Jesus himself. And finally, I would just like to point out that the hadeeths of the Prophet Muh ammad, peace be upon him, collectively referred to as the "Sunnah", are based up on Divine Revelation. Even though they are not the verbatim and direct word of G od, they were revealed (or "inspired") by Almighty God to the Prophet, peace be upon him. As such, they are authoritative for all Muslims. There are numerous pr oofs in the Qur'an for the authority of the Sunnah, but since that is not the to pic of this discussion, I will not address it. Your second question was: "What is Jesus talking about when he says: "the day I die and the day I shall be raised to alive"? It seems that he knew this was goin g to happen, which he would if he were a prophet. So why do Muslims say that he has not died and been raised alive? These words seem to agree with what Christia ns think - that Jesus has already died and been raised to life. Doubtless your l ocal Imam will tell you that this refers to when Jesus comes back to Earth to ju

dge people (including Muhammad? - interesting to know what you think about this) but then you have to decide what to do about Question 1. Also, why not accept t hat the prophecy has already happened, as many people think it has?" In regards to your first statement above, for what it's worth, it should be said that I also know that I'm going to die and be raised alive again, but that does n't make me a prophet. The belief in death, the resurrection and Final Judgment is common to all of the "Abrahamic Faiths" i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam, so one doesn't need to be a prophet to know such a thing. However, if Almighty God chose to reveal to Jesus certain aspects of the circumstances of his death a nd resurrection, then that's fine with me, since Jesus, peace be upon him, was a great prophet. However, the verse which you quote neither confirms nor denies t hat such information was revealed. Concerning why Muslims believe that he has no t died, and that he has been raised alive, it is because the Qur'an (and thus Go d) says so. However, since the various verses on this issue may have left you so mewhat confused, I am including a detailed excerpt from a well known Islamic sch olar which discusses many aspects of this in detail.Writing in the 12th Century after Jesus, peace be upon him, Shaikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "Almighty Go d did not state that Christ died, nor that he was killed. He said, rather: "O Je sus, I am gathering you and causing you to ascend to Me, and am cleansing you of those who disbelieve" (Qur'an 3:55). God spoke similarly in other passages (Qur'an 5:117; 4:155-161). God cursed the Jews for various things. Among them was "their speaking against Mary a tremendou s calumny" (Qur'an 4:156), and their claiming that she was a fornicator. They ar e also condemned for their claim "We slew the Messiah Jesus son of Mary, God's m essenger" (Qur'an 4:157). God said: "They slew him not nor crucified him, hut it appeared so to them" (Qur'an 4:157). God attributes this statement to them and curses them for it. The Christians are not mentioned because the ones who assume d responsibility for crucifying the supposedly crucified person were the Jews. N ot a single one of the Christians was a witness [to the event] with them. Rather the apostles kept at a distance through fear, and not one of them witnessed the crucifixion. The only witnesses were the Jews who informed people that they had crucified Christ. Christians and others who handed on the story that Christ had been crucified only passed on what they had received from these Jews who were t he chosen minions of the powers of darkness. Nor were they such a great number t hat prevented their colluding on a lie. God said: "They did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it seemed so to them." Then He said: "There will not be any of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death" (Qur'an 4:159). Among the majority of scholars it is be lieved that this means "before the death of Christ". It may be said to mean "bef ore the death of the Jew," but this is weak. Similarly it is said to mean "befor e the death of Muhammad," but this is even weaker. If one placed faith in him be fore death, this act of faith would benefit him, for the repentance of a person is accepted which is not after the moment of death. It might be said that what is meant by this is the faith which is after the mome nt of death and therefore of no use. After his death, everyone believes in he un known which he had previously rejected, and so there is nothing special to Chris t in this, because God said "before his death," and did not say "after his death ." This is because there is no difference between someone's placing faith in Chr ist and Muhammad. The Jew who dies in his Judaism dies a disbeliever in Christ a nd Muhammad. Moreover God said: "There will not be any of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death." The verb (la-yu'minanna) can only me an the future, and this is an indication that this faith is subsequent to God's informing mankind of this. Had He meant "before the death of the follower of the Book," He would have said: "There is no Follower of the Book but who believes ( yu'min) in him before his death".

God also speaks of "the People of the Book," which is a general term for Jews an d Christians, and this indicates that all People of the Book, Jews and Christian s, will be believing in Christ before the death of Christ. When he descends, the Jews and Christians will believe that he is the messenger of God -- not rejecti ng him as do the Jews now, nor claiming that he is God as do the Christians. God states that they will put faith in him when he descends to earth. It is stated that he was raised up to God when He said: "I am gathering you and causing you t o ascend to Me" (Qur'an 3:55). He will descend to earth before the Day of Resurr ection and then he will die. By this God has informed us that they will believe in him before Christ's death, as He also says elsewhere (Qur'an 43:59-65). In th e sound hadith reports from the Prophet he said: It is impending that the son of Mary will descend among you as a just judge, a r ighteous imam; he will break the cross, kill the pig, and impose the jizya. In the Qur'an (4:147) God has made it clear that He has raised up Christ alive a nd saved him from death, and that they will believe in him before he dies. This is confirmed by God's saying, "and I am purifying you from those who have disbel ieved" (Qur'an 3:55); had he died there would have been no difference between hi m and others. The word al-tawaffi in Arabic means "completion" and "receiving" and that is of three kinds: a) the completion of sleep; b) the final completion of death; and c ) the final completion of soul and body together. It is in this third meaning wh ereby Christ went out from the state of the people of the earth who have need of food, drink, and clothing, and he departed from them in matters pertaining to n atural functions. God brought Christ to this state of completion; he is in the s econd heaven until the time he descends to earth, and his state is not like the situation of the people of the earth in eating, drinking, dressing, sleep, natur al functioning, etc. For their statement (i.e. the Christians) that by his death is meant the death o f his human nature it is necessary that they hold as their basis that by his "co mpletion" is meant the death of his human nature. Whether it is said to refer to his death or to his completion in God, he is nothing other than human nature, f or there is nothing other than that which God "brings to Himself" (Qur'an 3:55). This "gathering" is his being raised to God. Their view that what is raised is his divine nature would be contrary to the text of the Qur'an, even if it were a matter of his death. So how can that be the meaning when he is not said to die? They can make what is raised up something other than "received, completed", and yet the Qur'an states that what is raised up is "received". Similarly when in another verse God says: "They certainly did not kill him, but God raised him up to Himself" (Qur'an 5:157-158). He is rejecting the claim of t he Jews that "We have killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, messenger of Go d". The Jews did not claim to have killed "Divinity", nor did they concede that God had a divine nature in Christ. Moreover God did not mention their claims to have killed him from the Christians, so that one could say that their intent was the killing of the human nature without the divine. The claim, however, was fro m the Jews, who only attested to the human nature in Christ. The Jews had claime d that they killed him, and so God said: "They certainly did not kill him, but G od raised him to Himself". God thereby attested to His raising up that which the y claim to have killed, that is, Christ's human nature. It is obvious, therefore , that God denies that [Christ's] human nature had been killed. Rather, He is as suming it to Himself. Christians admit the assumption of the human nature, but t hey claim that it was crucified, rose from the grave either after a day or three days, and then ascended to heaven and sat, human nature and divine, at "the rig ht hand of the Father". God said: "They certainly did not kill him". The meaning is that God denies the

killing; He is certain about it, There is no doubt about it, in contrast to thos e who differed because they were in doubt whether or not he was killed. Those wh o believed it were not certain about it, since they could produce no proof for i t. There was a group of Christians saying that he was not crucified, for those w ho crucified the crucified man were the Jews, and they had confused Christ with someone else, as the Qur'an indicates. Among the People of the Book also it was held that he was confused with another, and those who wanted to kill him did not know who Christ was, until one of the people said to them "I know him". Only th en did they know him. The view of those who say the meaning of the passage is "T hey did not kill him knowingly, but rather uncertainly" is weak. Almighty God said: "O Jesus, I am gathering you and causing you to ascend to Me, and am cleansing you from those who disbelieve" If that which was raised up was the "Divine Nature", the Lord of the Universe would be saying to Himself and to His word "I am causing you to ascend to Me". Moreover, God said: "But God raise d him up to Himself", but according to them (i.e. the Christians) Christ is God. It is obvious that His raising Himself to Himself is impossible. If they say th at he is the Word, they nevertheless hold that he is the Creator God. They do no t make him of the same status as the Torah and the Qur'an, and other speech of G od like these about which God spoke "To Him there arises the good word" (Qur'an 35:10). According to them Christ is God the Lord of the universe, the Creator, t he Sustainer; so to say that the One-and-only Lord of the universe was raised up to the One-and-only Lord of the universe is ridiculous. Almighty God the Most High said: "I was a witness of them while I dwelled among them, and when You took me You were the Watcher over them". This indicates that after his being gathered up to God, Christ was not a watcher over them, but only God without Christ. This statement is also an indication of the Reckoning; if t his and statements like it are true, it is known that after his being taken up C hrist is not a watcher over his followers. God is the watcher who observes them, counts up their deeds, and requites them accordingly. Christ is not a watcher; he does not observe their actions; neither does he reckon them up, nor does he r eward them." (All of the above paragraphs were quoted from A Muslim Theologian's Response to Christianity, edited and translated by Thomas F. Michel, Caravan Books, Delmar, New York, 1984, pages 305-308. This is an English translation of Ibn Taymiyyah's al-Jawab as-Saheeh.) Hopefully, this long quotation will answer most of the que stions which you have concerning this subject. However, I'm still not sure what to think of your statement that "Doubtless your local Imam will tell you that th is refers to when Jesus comes back to Earth to judge people". Possibly you're ju st trying to show that even though this belief is both popular and widespread am ongst Muslims, it still may be erroneous? As far as this probably being the beli ef of most "local Imams", you're partly right, as the above quotation from Ibn T aymiyyah indicated. This is because all of the Qur'anic verses and hadeeths that refer to Jesus' death refer when he returns to earth in the time of the Mahdi. However, your statement that " . . . when Jesus comes back to Earth to judge peo ple (including Muhammad? - interesting to know what you think about this)", is n ot correct. It seems as though you've confused Christian beliefs with Muslim bel iefs. As the last paragraph of Ibn Taymiyyah's quotation said, Islam certainly d oes not teach that Jesus, peace be upon him, will come to judge people - especia lly Muhammad, peace be upon him. Neither the Qur'an nor the authentic hadeeths r ecord such a thing, and I'd be surprised to hear of a "local Imam" who believed such a thing. I know Christians believe that Jesus will come to judge "both the quick and the dead" on the Last Day, but Muslims certainly don't. In Islam, the Final Judgment is for Almighty God alone - not for someone who sits at His "righ t hand". I think that you might need to check some of your sources, because I do n't know where you got such an idea. On that note, I would just like to say that it is always wise to learn about a religion from those who adhere to it. Unfort unately, when you go into most bookstores in the West, the Christians books are

written by Christians, the Jewish books by Jews, but the books on Islam are writ ten by Christians, Jews, Orientalists, atheists - and maybe you'll find one or t wo by a Muslim if you're lucky! Concerning your statement that we then "have to decide what to do about Question 1", well it has already been addressed, since "Question 1" has been shown to be marred by a mis-translation, and your hypothetical opinion of the "local Imam" has already been addressed above. As far as the reasons why Muslims don't just " accept that the prophecy has already happened, as many people think it has?", as I've already said, Islam isn't made up of personal desires, whims or what "peop le think". It is based on Divine Revelation. The long quotation from Ibn Taymiyy ah, which I included above, should be enough to prove that the Muslim position o n this issue is the one most consistent with both the Qur'an and the authentic h adeeths. Your third question was: "If Jesus spoke from his cradle only days after he had been born, this would really be a miracle. However, both Christians and Muslims believe that when Jesus was born on Earth, He was a perfect man. Men don't speak when they are only babies, so was God speaking through him? If so, then the wor ds are those of God, not Jesus. In the same way, Muslims believe that the words in the Qur'an are from Allaah, not Muhammad. If Jesus really did speak from his cradle, then 1) he would be much more than a mere human, and 2) why did Christia ns not report such a miracle to reinforce the status of Jesus?" Well this paragraph sure brings up some interesting questions! While it is true that Christians and Muslim both believe that Jesus was a "perfect" man, they don 't believe this in the same way. When Muslims say that Jesus, or any other proph et, was "perfect", they mean "free from sin". Many scholars hold that this means free from both major and minor sins, while others hold that it only means major sins during their actual call to prophethood - and anything that would have eff ected their ability to carry out their prophetic duties. However, none of the pr ophets were free from unintentional mistakes or mistakes in judgment, since even the Qur'an documents some of these about Muhammad, peace be upon him. This havi ng been said, it should be clear that Muslims don't consider Jesus, peace be upo n him, or any of the other prophets, to have been "perfect" in the absolute sens e, since that attribute is reserved for Almighty God alone. Now concerning your statement: "Men don't speak when they are only babies, so wa s God speaking through him?", you seemed to have unnecessarily limited the vario us options and interpretations of this event. Even though it is certainly possib le that Almighty God was speaking through him (just like He did to all of His pr ophets), the more apparent meaning is that God gave him the ability (or caused h im) to be able to speak in the cradle. And "yes!", this certainly is a miracle, since anytime such a wondrous and extraordinary thing happens due to God's will, it is a miracle. Additionally, I don't know why you conclude that this disquali fies Jesus from being a "perfect man". As I've already said, "perfect" means "fr ee from sin", and participating in a miracle with God's help is certainly not a sin. Actually, a sinful act would be to refuse to participate in, or believe in, such a miracle. Moving on . . . your conclusion that if Jesus, peace be upon him, did speak from the cradle, "he would be much more than a mere human" seems to be a bit inconsi stent, since most prophets of God did miracles. However, in spite of the fact th at they did miracles, this does not mean that they are more than human beings. T his is one of the main misconceptions that Islam came to correct, both among the idol-worshippers and the Christians. This is because Christians use inconsisten t logic when trying to justify the alleged "Divinity" of Jesus by saying that he did great miracles. Both Muslims and Christians agree that Moses parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), but does that make him "more than human"? Elisha fed one hundred men with only a few loaves of bread and ears of corn (II Kings 4:44), h

e cured the blind (II Kings 6:17-20), and even raised the dead (II Kings 4:34 ). Elijah, according to the Old Testament, also raised people from the dead (I Kin gs 17:22). However, none of this made these great prophets "Divine" or "more tha n human". Above, I have already quoted verses from the New Testament which prove that Jesus only did his miracles by the power of God - just like the other prop hets. An important point that I need to mention is that the root of all "shirk", which is the Arabic word for associating and worshipping others along with Almighty G od, is the belief that prophets and other "holy men" were "more than human". In the Qur'an, God Almighty said: "And they said: 'Do not forsake your gods, neithe r Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'uq, nor Nasr" (Qur'an 71:23). It is narrated in an au thentic hadeeth that Ibn 'Abbas, a companion of the Prophet , commented on this verse as follows: "These are names of righteous people, descendants of Noah. Whe n they passed away, Satan inspired their people to set up statues in their honor and to give the statues the names of the departed. Later, when their origins we re forgotten, the excessive esteem paid to them turned into worship". Unfortunately your mentality seems to be very close to the prevalent Christian m indset which elevates Jesus to "Divinity" based on his miracles. This is unfortu nate, because this is the same mistake that other religions have fallen into. In whatever way, they almost all believe in One Supreme Creator God, but they set up intermediaries between themselves and Almighty God. This tendency can be seen not only in Hindus and Christians, but was also the belief of the pagan Arabs a t the time of Muhammad, peace be upon him. As the following verses clearly show, they believed in "One God", but they used intermediaries to approach Him: "Ask them (i.e. the pagan disbelievers): 'Who sends down for you your provision from the sky and grows it out of the earth? Who hears your prayer and sees your condition? Who brings the living out of the dead and the dead out of the living? Who directs the course of the world?' They will answer: 'God'. Answer: 'Would y ou then not fulfill your duty to Him?'" (Qur'an 10:31) "Those who worshipped others as patrons beside God, claiming that they did so on ly to come through their intercession nearer to Him, will receive the judgment o f God in the matter they contend. God will not guide the ingrate, the liar." (Qu r'an 39:3) "They serve beside God beings which can neither benefit nor harm, claiming, 'The se are our intercessors with God'." (Qur'an 10:18) "And when they ride in barks [in stormy seas] they address their prayers to Almi ghty God in complete sincerity, but relapse into shirk (i.e. associating partner s with Him) when they reach the shore." (Qur'an 29:65) Keeping these verses in mind, a believer in Pure Monotheism (i.e. a Muslim) real izes that no matter how many miracles anyone does, they are not God. This is bec ause only God is God. The Creator and His creation are distinct - there is no am biguity in "Divinity". As the Ten Commandments say, there is no image "in the he avens above or in the earth beneath" which can represent Almighty God. Unfortuna tely, if one looks at the justifications that Christians often use for consideri ng Jesus, peace be upon him, to be "Divine", it becomes rather evident they have become caught up in trying to "elevate" him to being Divine. At least that is t he way many of them seem to rationalize it to themselves. These types of ideas f irst took root among pagan Greeks and Romans, who were used to having incarnate gods. However, the Jews - who placed a high value on monotheism - for the most p art completely rejected Trinitarian Christianity and its Incarnationist ideas. Before moving on I should address an issue that Christians often bring up in res ponse to statements like some of the ones which I've made above. They basically

ask how Muslims can accuse the followers of Jesus, peace be upon him, of being " polytheists" when they were all "monotheistic Jews". Actually, Muslims don't lev y any such claim against the actual disciples of Jesus, peace be upon him, since the corruption of the Pure Monotheism of Jesus was done by later so-called Chri stians (who were influenced by Paul). However, suffice it to say that just becau se someone is a nominal member of a "monotheistic" community, there is no guaran tee that they will not get caught up in corrupt beliefs that compromise their "m onotheism". In this regard, the label "polytheism" doesn't really sound right, s ince to many it implies simply believing in the existence of more than one God. So when applied to Christians, the words "associators", "man-worshippers" or "cr eature worshippers" might be more accurate and appropriate terms - especially si nce Christians believe Jesus to be both "100% God and 100% man" - while still pa ying lip-service to God's "Oneness". However, what is really at the root of this problem is the fact that Christians don't really know what "monotheism" means especially in the Islamic sense. All of the books, articles and papers that I'v e read which were written by Christians invariably limit "monotheism" to believi ng in the existence of "One Sovereign and Creator God" - as seemingly opposed to two, three or four (as if there are pagans out there who belief such a thing??? ). Islam, however, teaches much more than this. Since the pure Islamic concept o f monotheism (Arabic: Tawheed) is not the main subject of this paper, I wont' go into great detail. However, suffice it to say that just because someone claims to be a "monotheistic" Jew, Christian or Muslim, that doesn't keep them from fal ling into corrupt beliefs and idolatrous practices. Many people, including some so-called Muslims, claim belief in "One God" even though they've fallen into act s of idolatry. Certainly, many Protestants accuse Roman Catholics of idolatrous practices in regards to the saints and the Virgin Mary. Likewise, the Greek Orth odox Church is considered "idolatrous" by many other Christians because in much of their worship they use icons. However, if you ask a Roman Catholic or a Greek Orthodox person if God is "One", they will invariably answer: "Yes!". This lipservice, however, does not stop them from being "creature worshipping" idolaters . The same goes for Hindus, who just consider their gods to be "manifestations" or "incarnations" of the One Supreme God. You should know that throughout the lo ng history of the "Abrahamic Faiths", there have people who, while believing in "One God", have adopted beliefs and practices that completely nullify their clai m to "monotheism". This is the Muslim view of Christians. We're well aware of th e fact that they claim belief in "One God" with your lips, but this doesn't mean that they don't nullify their claim in other ways. This is because many people simply haven't been taught everything that Pure Monotheism entails. From an Isla mic point of view, "monotheism" can be nullified in many ways. For example, simp ly believing that it is permissible to rule by Western "liberal" and "democratic " laws in lieu of the Divinely Revealed Law of Almighty God makes one a "polythe ist". Certainly, a person who does such a thing, whether Jewish, Christian or Mu slim, doesn't ever believe that there is another Almighty Creator and Sovereign Lord. However, for all practical purposes, such a person has take another "god", whether they choose to admit it or not. In this way they are associating partne rs with Almighty God (Arabic: shirk), and thus become a "polytheistic" in a prac tical sense, regardless of their lip-service to "monotheism". This holds true ev en if the person doesn't believe what they are doing is "worship". For example, Roman Catholics who pray to the Virgin Mary will staunchly deny that they are "w orshipping" her. They instead call it "adoration" or some other watered-down ter m. However, from an Islamic point of view, what is worship if not this? Addition ally, how can someone who believes in Almighty God follow man-made laws instead of God's Law, without admitting that they've begun worshipping other than God? D o they know better than God? What is their concept of Him? Etc., etc., etc., Foo d for thought . . . Concerning the issue of why "did Christians not report such a miracle to reinfor ce the status of Jesus?", that's a fairly easy one to answer because Christians left out lots of things in their reports of Jesus, peace be upon him, in the socalled "Four Gospels". Many a scholar has noted that if you take all of the word

s spoken by Jesus in the so-called "Gospels", they would hardly be enough to fil l two newspaper columns. Since, according to the New Testament, Jesus' ministry lasted about three years, there must have been a lot he said and did that was no t recorded. Anyway, many of the events that are recorded in the so-called "Gospe ls" are not recorded unanimously by all four of the writers. For example, the ra ising of Lazarus from the dead, one of Jesus' greatest miracles, is reported in only one gospel. Why did the other gospel writers leave it out? Additionally, th e accounts of Jesus' alleged Resurrection differ greatly (read them and compare! ), and his Ascension is not reported in all four of the so-called "Gospels", etc ., etc., etc. As anyone who has read the "Four Gospels" knows, many of the stories included in there differ quite a bit, especially the stories of his childhood, which is our main concern here. For example, Matthew is the only one that tells the story of the "Flight into Egypt" (Matthew 2:13-15), Luke is the only one that mentions t hat Jesus was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem as a young boy (Luke 2:22-24) a nd John leaves out mentioning Jesus' childhood altogether. Why is this? There mu st have been many other incidents that weren't mentioned, but just because they were not mentioned by the so-called "Gospel writers", doesn't mean that they did n't happen. Reasonably speaking, the Qur'an portrays the incident of Jesus, peac e be upon him, speaking from the cradle as being directed towards disbelieving a nd hostile Jews. Most probably, none of Jesus' followers-to-be were around at th e time, so it is no wonder that the "Gospel" writers didn't know about it. One final point may help in bringing out more clearly the fact that many importa nt miracles were often reported by only one of the "Gospel" writers. Two short v erses in Matthew say that at the moment of Jesus' death "the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared unto many" (Matthew 27:52-53). This is an account of a miracle unsurpassed anyw here else in the so-called "Four Gospels", and it makes the alleged Resurrection of Jesus appear like nothing in comparison. In this case, many saints were rais ed and appeared to "many" in Jerusalem. Unlike the accounts of Jesus raising Laz arus, or the synagogue ruler's daughter or Jesus himself being raised, this depi cts saints dead for much longer than "three days" being raised. And, from the ph rase, "they entered the holy city and appeared to many", it is possible to concl ude that these many raised saints showed themselves to both believers and non-be lievers! However, Matthew is the only one to report this great event. Josephus, who was a historian who wrote a history of Jerusalem both prior to and after her fall, i.e., forty years after the death of Jesus, knew of Jesus, peace be upon him, but he said nothing about this great "raising" and "appearing" of many sain ts. Of this greatest of all miracles, not a rumor appears in the works of Joseph us or of any other ancient author. Surely at least one of the many raised out of those many emptied tombs was still alive just prior to Josephus' time. Or at le ast many who had seen those many saints were still repeating the tale. Although people may have doubted that Jesus raised a few people while he was alive and al though "some doubted" Jesus' own Resurrection (Matthew 28:17), who could fail to have been impressed by many risen saints appearing to many? How also could Pete r have neglected to mention them in his Jerusalem speech a mere fifty days after they "appeared to many in the holy city"? Surely their appearance must have bee n foremost on everyone's mind. So why didn't Paul mention such a thing in his le tters, our earliest sources? Surely, if the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to writ e about it, he could have inspired the others. Why did the women who visited the "empty tomb" on the Sunday morning of Jesus' alleged Resurrection not take noti ce that many other tombs were likewise open? Why didn't the visitors to Jesus' t omb mention that they had met or seen many raised saints in that vicinity, meeti ng them on the way to Jesus' tomb or on the way back to town? Why didn't Matthew know how many raised saints there were? Why didn't he name a single one or a si ngle person to whom they had appeared? How did Matthew know that these saints ha d come out of their tombs? So basically, your question of why Christians didn't

report that Jesus, peace be upon him, spoke from the cradle actually brings up m ore questions than it attempts to answer. More food for thought . . . I hope that these answers are adequate. I encourage you to not only reflect on t hem, but to research them more if you feel that it is necessary. For your own sa ke, and for the sake of Truth, try to "take a step back" and look at everything in an unbiased manner. It's not always easy, but that's the only way we can come to understand beliefs other than our own If you have any other questions relati ng to Islam, I would be more than happy to try to answer them for you - or find answers for you. I pray that Almighty God guides you to the Truth, and I look fo rward to hearing from you in the future - insha'Allaah (God Willing). Best Regards, 'Abd ar-Rahman Robert Squires ******************************************************************************** ************************ Some Thoughts on the 'Proofs' of the Alleged Divinity of Jesus http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=230:some-thoug hts-on-the-proofs-of-the-alleged-divinity-of-jesus&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messen ger&Itemid=174 Rational and Biblical proofs against the theory of the divinity of Jesus. "We have been told in the Qur aan to tell the Christians "Let them produce proof". Thus we demand them to provide documentation that Jesus himself claimed unquali fied divinity for himself, and that he said in so many words: "I am God"." One of the crucial issues which separates Islam and Christianity is their belief s concerning the nature of Jesus - peace be upon him. The majority of Christians believe that Jesus is "Divine", i.e. they believe him to be God incarnate. Musl ims, on the other hand, beleive that Jesus was only a great Prophet of God and a faultless human being. Approach to a Muslim--Christian Dialogue The doctrine of the Trinity says that the three distinct co-equals are altogethe r God -- or that God is made up of three co-equal "persons". In particular, Jesu s is said to be "God the Son", or the "Son of God". In a Muslim-Christian dialog ue, inevitably the Muslim will question the details regarding this theology. The Christian, on the other hand, will usually form a common explanation by complai ning that Muslims simply do not understand the Trinity, and that what the Muslim accuses the Christians of is one thing which Christians don't really believe. I n short Muslims do not understand how the Christians understood the Trinity. The Muslim seeks to find clarifications of the teachings of this doctrine by asking for explanations as to how that would be so, because the term Son of God cannot have a literal interpretation: Sonship and divine nature would be two attribute s which are incomparable, because sonship describes someone who receives life wh ile divine nature describes someone who receives life from no one. To be a son i s to be less than divine and to be divine is to be no one's son. Eventually the Christians would seek refuge in the response of "these are things which we canno t understand."

Verification and Understanding

Christians seem to be confusing two concepts -- the concept of verification and the concept of understanding. This can be illustrated in the example of hydrogen combining with oxygen to make water. We can verify this statement in a laborato ry to see whether this statement is a statement of fact. But after verification, that does not mean what we have understood the nature of atoms. Verification an d understanding are two different concepts. Thus, what Muslims should do is to r e-direct the discussions because the first issue is more basic than simply resol ving all the difficult points of Trinitarian doctrines. It is not the explanatio n of how to understand the concept of the Trinitarian doctrine that we seek, but rather, to seek verifications of their belief, that is, why in the first place must we believe that Jesus is divine (not how but why).

The Trinity -- A Church Doctrine If Muslims pursue this approach, ultimately many Christians will usually say tha t "the Church says so", that is, it is the Church's doctrine. Thus many Christia ns' arguments stop short of questioning the Church's authority. They will not ch allenge it to find out the basis for their claim or their teaching. Although man y Christians in fact concede that this is the case on the subject of Trinitarian doctrine, there are also others who insist that Jesus did talk about the Trinit y himself.

"Let them produce proof" We have been told in the Qur'an to tell the Christians "Let them produce proof". Thus we demand them to provide documentation that Jesus himself claimed unquali fied divinity for himself, and that he said in so many words: "I am God". The Mu slims are advised by another Qur'anic verse to tell the Christians: "Say: O peop le of the Book you have no ground to stand upon unless you stand fast by the Law , the Gospel and all the Revelation that has come to you from your Lord." This d emand is reasonable, for Muslims are also told in another verse that Jesus never claimed to be God. Therefore if the Christians were to look into their own scri pture they would not be able to find any saying of Jesus, that should him clearl y claiming to be equal with God.

Explicit and implicit statements From the Biblical record, the sayings accredited to Jesus are very small because after allowing for duplications in the Four Gospels' account of his -life, thes e sayings could be reprinted in two columns of a typical newspaper. And none of these texts is a clear claim to divinity, because nowhere does he explicitly cla im to be God. All the quotations are implicit. The difference is, an explicit st atement is one which requires no explanation. The meaning is right on the .surfa ce of the word. For example, when your gas gauge in your car shows empty, you do not need to ask your passenger to interpret it for you. it is very clear. An im plicit statement is a statement where the meaning is carried just beneath the su rface of the word. It requires some thought before we determine what was meant b y the words. And all quotations that are cited by Christians in order to put in the mouth of Jesus the claim of deity are implicit -- which means interpretation is required. Thus what happens is, when we are told what Jesus said, we are the n told what he meant. In other words, they interpret the meaning for us.

Christians' claim The Christians' claim of Jesus to be God through his Virgin birth (The Immaculat e Conception) is cited as one case of insufficient evidence. But, the Bible also tells us about the Creation of Adam -- i.e. without father or mother; and the a ccount of the miracle associated with the prophet Elisha. Also, the case of Melc hizekdek can be cited: "without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither b eginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God" - Hebrews 7:3. For these men, no Christian will say he was divine. Yet each has the qualificati ons in common with Jesus. Another claim is that Jesus was God because the Hebrew Scripture predicted his coming before he was born. Yet the Christians seem to b etray a selective or forgetful recall of the Scriptures because in places where they predict the coming of John the Baptist they quote prophecies from the Book of Malachi.

Son of Man, Son of God, Messiah, Savior Another argument of Christians that Jesus claimed to be God is that Jesus consta ntly used the terms, "Son of God", "Son of Man" and "Messiah" and "Savior". Sinc e he uses these terms, they argued, therefore he was claiming to be God. These t erms were also applied to other individuals as well, in the Bible. For example, Ezekiel was addressed as "Son of Man". Jesus himself speaks of the peace makers as "sons of God". It is interesting to note that even though Jesus is called the "Son of God" in the Bible, he is never called "God the Son", which is what the Christians have made him into due to their Trinitarian theology. Even Cyrus the Persian is called "Messiah", or "the anointed", in Isaiah Chapter 45. This verse has been translated in a misleading way. The meaning of the Hebrew word "Messia h" is "God's anointed". Here, when it refers to Cyrus, they translated the Hebre w word "Messiah" with "God's anointed". But in places where- the Bible is talkin g about Jesus, when the term "Messiah" appears, instead of translating it as "an ointed", they simply transliterate it (i.e. they write the Hebrew words with the Roman Alphabet without translating it) so that it reads "Messiah". Interestingl y this word "Messiah" is in the Greek equivalent written as "Christ". Thus there seems to be a conspiracy to give us the impression that there is only one Messi ah, one Christ and no other. As for the term "Savior", the word is clearly appli ed to other individuals besides Jesus, for example the Book of II Kings, Chapter 13, Verse 5, says: "And the Lord gave Israel a Savior, so they went out from un der the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as beforetime."

"I and My Father are One" In John, Chapter 10, Verse 30, Jesus is quoted as saying "I and my Father are on e". Some Christian scholars have insisted that the only probable understanding o f these Words are: as one in essence or nature. Yet there are several examples w here the same Greek words were used but not understood in the same way. For exam ple, John 17:11 says: "And now I am no more in the world but these are in the wo rld and I come to thee. Holy Father keep through their own name, those who thou hast given me that they may be one, as we are." ******************************************************************************** *** Is Jesus God?

http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=231:is-jesus-g od&catid=55:jesus-lord-or-messenger&Itemid=174 An answer compiled verses of the Bible, which agree with the message of the Qur' an (which abrogates the Bible, as the Bible did the Torah). "And behold! God will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you say unto men, 'wors hip me and my mother as gods in derogation of God?'" He will say: "Glory to you. Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You wo uld indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, though I know not what i s in Yours. For you know in full what is hidden. (The Noble Qur'an 5:116)" Why is Jesus GOD? 1. Jesus Is God Because He Claimed To Be The Son Of God 2. Jesus Is God Because He Is God's Only Begotten Son 3. Jesus Is God Because He Was Born Without A Human Father 4. Jesus Is God Because He Called God The Father 5. Jesus Is God Because He Is Called Messiah 6. Jesus is GOD Because He Received Worship 7. Jesus is GOD Because He is called Lord and God 8. Jesus is GOD Because He Pre-Existed 9. Jesus is GOD Because He claimed Before Abraham Was I am 10. Jesus is GOD Because He had the Power To Forgive Sins 11. Jesus is GOD Because He is the way, the truth and the life 12. Jesus is GOD Because He claims that I And The Father Are One 13. Jesus is GOD Because He Possessed Knowledge of All Things 14. Jesus is GOD Because He Performed Miracles 15. Jesus never claimed to be GOD "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, A MAN attested to you by Go d with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your mids t, as you yourselves know..." Acts 2:22 For the Christian, the only documents accepted as reporting the words of Jesus a re the accounts given in the Bible. However, there are no sayings of Jesus where he claimed "I am God" or "Worship me". All quotations used to prove that Jesus is divine are implicit, that is, they re quire interpretation. We are told what Jesus said and then told what he meant. The primary issue here is not whether Jesus is God, but whether he said that he was equal to God. The evidence that is presented by the Christian is either inadequate, inconclusi ve, ambiguous; or unacceptable.

1. Jesus Is God Because He Claimed To Be The Son Of God In the language of the Hebrew Bible, righteous persons who follow the Will and P lan of God are know as Sons Of God. "Adam, which was the Son Of God." Luke 3:38 "The Sons Of God saw the daughters of men... And the Sons Of God came in unto th e daughters of men..." Genesis 6: 2,4. "Israel is My Son, even my first born." Exodus 4:22 "...for I (God) am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." Jeremiah 31 :9 "The Lord hath said unto me (David), Thou art My Son this day have I Begotten th ee." Psalms 2:7. Also Mat 5:9; Romans 8:14 etc. Son Of God is a nothing but a metaphorical description commonly used among the J ews.

2. Jesus Is God Because He Is God's Only Begotten Son The most widely translated sentence on earth is said to be Jesus' statement of J ohn 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..." Christians wish to say that the word Only Begotten (Monogenis) gives Jesus a spe cial status among all the Sons of God. However, not all Bibles translate the passage with this key word because some tr anslators have seen the difficulty this causes. The same word translated as Only Begotten is found at Hebrews 11:17. In this ver se the word refers to Isaac. The Bible itself shows that Isaac's older brother I shmael outlived his father (Genesis 25:9). Therefore, at no time was Isaac, stri ctly speaking, the only begotten of Abraham. In the case of Isaac the Church explains that "only-begotten" is not to be under stood strictly but must be modified. However, no such modification is allowed in the case of John 3:16.

3. Jesus Is God Because He Was Born Without A Human Father Does the miraculous birth of Jesus make him a God? If being born without a male parent entitles Jesus to being God, then Adam would have a greater right to such honor. Adam was born without either a human father or mother.

4. Jesus Is God Because He Called God The Father The use of the term Father is inconclusive evidence that God was literally Fathe r to Jesus. All Christians use the term when addressing God. The Jews themselves used the term (John 8:41). Jesus told them that the devil was their Father (Joh n 8:44). Of course, he was not speaking literally.

5. Jesus Is God Because He Is Called Messiah Muslims agree that Jesus was the Messiah. However, Christians have come to belie ve that there is a connotation of divinity in the word. Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning Anointed, its Grecian form is Christ. Although modern Bibles hide the f act, many individuals are called Messiah. Cyrus the Persian is called Messiah (a nointed) in Isaiah 45:1. Where Bible verses refer to Jesus, translators prefer use the word Messiah or Ch rist. For all other occurrences, they render only the meaning of the word as ano inted. In this way they hope to give the impression that there is only one Messi ah. (for details see below)

6. Jesus is GOD Because He Received Worship The fact that Jesus accepted worship is offered as strong proof of his divinity. John 9:38: "Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him." Matthew 28:17 "they saw him, they worshipped him". The word translated as worshipped in both verses is the Greek word proskuneo {pr os-ku-neh'-o} which literally means: "To kiss, like a dog licking his masters ha nd". (Strong's concordance). Even Prophet Daniel was worshipped by Nebuchadnezzar: "Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and worshipped Daniel..." (Dani el 2:46, KJV) If He was not to be worshipped, why didn't He tell this man to stop? It appears that "worship" was a type of greeting or salutation offered by the king. In all modern versions of the Bible, when Daniel was worshipped, the word worshi p has been removed. However, in the case of Jesus, the word worship still remain s. (e.g., compare NIV and KJV) The same trick is applied to the word Messiah/Christ. Messiah is a Hebrew word m eaning Anointed, its Grecian form is Christ. Although modern Bibles hide the fac t, many individuals are called Messiah. Cyrus ther Persian is called Messiah (an ointed) in Isaiah 45:1. Where Bible verses refer to Jesus, translators prefer us e the word Messiah or Christ. For all other occurrences, they render only the me aning of the word as anointed. In this way they hope to give the impression that there is only one Messiah.)

7. Jesus is GOD Because he is called Lord And God An episode is recounted in the twentieth chapter of John and a certain Thomas is quoted as saying, My Lord and My God. In interpreting this, Christians maintain that Thomas was addressing Jesus by bo th of these titles. The Muslim would have no objection to the term Lord. As the Bible explains, the word means Master and Sarah is said to have called he r husband Abraham by this title (1 Peter 3:6). The suggestion that Thomas addressed Jesus as literally being God is a different matter. Jesus had already pointed out that the Hebrew scriptures themselves add ress men as gods (John 10:34; Psalms 82:6). This would allow for Thomas' use of the term. However, Paul gave new rules in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, saying that there are m any lords and gods ...yet for us there is but one God, the Father,... and one Lo rd, Jesus Christ... Christians apply this verse to sort out the ambiguities of Thomas' expression. B ut now we are left with an unorthodox doctrine, namely that Jesus is the Father. This ancient heresy has been branded by the Church as Patripassianism, Moarchian ism, or Sebellianism. The impossibility of an orthodox interpretation of Thomas is now apparent. The distinction between Father and Son is essential to the doctrine of Trinity. The distinction is blurred again when John 14:9 is pressed into service. Here Je sus' reply to a man named Philip is recorded as He who has seen me has seen the Father. A s , g strictly literal explication would mean the unacceptable doctrine that Jesus i the Father. So interpreters say that Father is here equivalent to God. However we cannot possibly be obliged to understand that Jesus meant to say that seein him was exactly the same as seeing God because he was God. Our reason is found in the contrariety of John 5:37 You have neither heard His (God) voice at any t ime nor seen his form.

8. Jesus is GOD Because He Pre-Existed At John 8:58 it is reported that Jesus said, Before Abraham was I am. Even if Jesus meant to claim by these words that he was alive before Abraham was , is it sufficient ground to say that he was divine? If Jesus lived in heaven then came to the earth it might mean something remarkab le, but it would not be enough to establish him as God Christians do not imagine that the prophet Jeremiah had a prehuman existence and find a suitable way of i nterpreting the words of Jeremiah 1:5 which portrays such a situation, if taken literally. However not such similar understanding is permitted by the Church in the case of John 8:58!

9. Jesus is GOD Because He claims Before Abraham was I am In Exodus 3, it is reported that God told Moses I am what I am as most English B ibles translate the Hebrew text. At John 8:58 Jesus says, before Abraham was I a m as most English Bibles translate the Greek text. But here is the key to another deception. The original of the first text is in H ebrew, while the original of the second is in Greek. All but a few of Jesus' wor ds are recorded in Greek. For two hundred years before the time of Jesus the Jews used a Greek translation of their Hebrew scriptures, the Septuagint. This work translated the key phrase I am of Exodus as HO ON. However, the words of Jesus, I am, have been given in Greek as EGO EMI If the gospel writer in John 8:58 wanted to tell his Greek-speaking audience tha t Jesus had imitated God he would have used the familiar words of the Septuagint .

10. Jesus is GOD Because He Had The Power To Forgive Sins In the second chapter of Mark, Jesus tells a man, Your sins are forgiven (Mark 2 :5-10). The fact that Jesus forgave sins is perhaps the action of Jesus which is most commonly seen as being synonymous with divinity since it is argued that on ly God can forgive sins. The customary interpretation takes the side of the Jews then present who ask, Who can forgive sins but God alone? But the verse at John 12:49, among others, explains very well how a man could ma ke such a statement. In this verse Jesus denies any personal initiative. (see al so John 8:40; 14:10) This same authority to forgive sins is apparently granted to his disciples: If y ou forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven... (John 20:23), but it is never s uggested that the disciples are thus divine!

11. Jesus is GOD Because He is The Way, The Truth and The Life I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through me .(John 14:6) Exactly what this verse is supposed to prove is left vague by the Christian. Doe s it prove the divinity of Jesus? Is it supposed to mean that God listens to no one except Jesus or those who call on Jesus? The dictionary shows that the words "way", "truth", and "life" do not automatica lly carry connotations of divinity. So the Christian insist that the structure o f the sentence stresses the way, the truth, and the life, as though Jesus is uni que for all time. Bill Clinton may have been the American President but he is not the first and p robably not the last! So language usage alone does not do the job of proving Jes us' divinity.

12. Jesus is GOD Because He Claims That I And The Father Are One

At John 10:30 Jesus is quoted as saying I and the Father are one. The Greek word translated One is HEN. Certain scholars have insisted that the only possible un derstanding of this word is One in essence or nature. One need not be a Greek scholar to refute this unjustified claim. A counter exam ple is sufficient. The same word is used by Jesus in John 17:11, 21,22,23 as he includes his disciples in this ONEness, whatever the meaning.

13. Jesus is GOD Because He Possessed Knowledge of All Things This is a false claim refuted by Jesus himself: No-one knows about that day or h our, not even the angels in heaven, NOR THE SON, but only the Father. Matthew 24 :36. This verse also denies the claim the God and Jesus are ONE is essence or nature.

14. Jesus is GOD Because He Performed Miracles Jesus admitted that the miracles he performed were not by his own power: ...All power is GIVEN unto me in heaven. Mat 28:18 I cast out devils BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD... Mat 12:28 I can of mine OWN SELF do nothing... John 5:30 All the miracles performed by Jesus have parallels in the Old Testament. For exa mple: Fed the Multitudes: II Kings 4:42-44 Healed the lepers and blind: so did others I Kings 5:14; 6:17,20; Acts 3:7; 5:15-16) Brought the dead to life: So did others: I Kings 17:22; II Kings 13:21; Ezek 37:1 -14) Rose from the dead: So did others Ezek 37:1-14

15. Jesus never claimed to be GOD And behold! God will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you say unto men, 'worsh ip me and my mother as gods in derogation of God?'" He will say: "Glory to you. Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You wou ld indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Yours. For you know in full what is hidden. (The Noble Qur'an 5:116) They do blaspheme who say "God is the Christ the son of Mary." But Christ said " O Children of Israel! Worship God, (who is) my Lord and your Lord." Whosoever jo ins other gods with God - God will forbid him the Garden, and the fire will be h is abode... They do blaspheme who say "God is one of three in a Trinity". For th ere is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy),

verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them." (The Noble Q ur'an 5:72-73). ******************************************************************************** **************** Let the Bible Speak Out http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 6&Itemid=209 A scholastic presentation of evidence illustrating mankinds corruption of the Bi ble and the polytheism of modern-day Christianity, far removed from the unitaria n, monotheistic call of Jesus and the teachings of the 'original Bible' which wa s revelation from Allah. ******************************************************************************** ***************** Church Tradition & The Textual Integrity Of The Bible http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=232:church-tra dition-a-the-textual-integrity-of-the-bible&catid=56:let-the-bible-speak-out&Ite mid=175 Comparing Church tradition in deriving teachings, to that of Islam. "From an early date Muslim scholars recognized the danger of false testimony and hence false doctrine, and developed an elaborate science for criticizing tradit ion. "Traditional science", as it was called, differed in many respects from mod ern historical source criticism, and modern scholarship has always disagreed wit h evaluations of traditional scientists about the authenticity and accuracy of a ncient narratives." The basis of evaluation of any hadith (story or report) in Islam of any text con cerned particularly with religion is based on the study of matn (i.e., text) and its isnad (i.e., chain of narration). A hadith (pl. ahadith) is composed of two parts: the matn (text) and the isnad ( chain of reporters). A text may seem to be logical and reasonable but it needs a n authentic isnad with reliable reporters to be acceptable; 'Abdullah b. al-Muba rak (d. 181 AH), one of the illustrious teachers of Imam al-Bukhari, said, "The isnad is part of the religion: had it not been for the isnad, whoever wished to would have said whatever he liked."[1] The Christian 'hadith' is composed of matn (text) but no isnad (chain of narrati on). Without isnad, as 'Abdullah b. al-Mubarak said, anyone can claim anything s aying that it is coming from the authority. The authorities in the case of Chris tian 'hadith' are the Apostles and later day Church Fathers. But how can one be sure that the Christian 'hadith' is not mixed with falsehood without the proper isnad and its verification? The Old Testament, to certain extent and the New Testament in toto lack chain of narration. When this argument was put forward, the Christian missionary Jochen Katz wrote: On 8 Oct 1998, Jochen Katz wrote (on a different thread): > That is a bogus argument from an Islamic point of view.

Missionaries when cornered try to wiggle out of the argument by calling names. A ccording to Katz, the Islamic argument of using the chain of narration, i.e., is nad, is 'bogus' because the New Testament and major part of Old Testament lacks it and above all it is a Muslim argument. By calling the Islamic argument of isn ad 'bogus' Katz thought that he is already refuted it. Unfortunately, the Orient alists like Bernard Lewis who read this 'bogus' Islamic tradition and compares i t with the Christian scholarship say that: From an early date Muslim scholars recognized the danger of false testimony and hence false doctrine, and developed an elaborate science for criticizing traditi on. "Traditional science", as it was called, differed in many respects from mode rn historical source criticism, and modern scholarship has always disagreed with evaluations of traditional scientists about the authenticity and accuracy of an cient narratives. But their careful scrutiny of the chains of transmission and t heir meticulous collection and preservation of variants in the transmitted narra tives give to medieval Arabic historiography a professionalism and sophisticatio n without precedent in antiquity and without parallel in the contemporary mediev al West. By comparison, the historiography of Latin Christendom seems poor and m eagre, and even the more advanced and complex historiography of Greek Christendo m still falls short of the historical literature of Islam in volume, variety and analytical depth.[2] So, after all this Islamic science of hadith, called 'bogus' by Katz, was so adv anced that its Christian counterparts were far far away from its sophistication. Futher where does it sophistication lie? . . . it would have been easy to invent sayings of Muhammad. Because the cultura l background of the Arabs had been oral the evidence that came to be expected wa s the chain of names of those who had passed on the anecdote containing the sayi ng . . . The study of Traditions rapidly became a distinct branch of the studies of the general religious movement. It was soon realized that false Traditions w ere in circulation with sayings that Muhammad could not possibly have uttered. T he chains of transmitters were therefore carefully scrutinised to make sure that the persons named could in fact have met one another, that they could be truste d to repeat the story accurately, and that they did not hold any heretical views . This implied extensive biographical studies; and many biographical dictionarie s have been preserved giving the basic information about a man's teachers and pu pils, the views of later scholars (on his reliability as a transmitter) and the date of his death. This biography-based critique of Traditions helped considerab ly to form a more or less common mind among many men throughout the caliphate ab out what was to be accepted and what rejected.[3] If the Muslim traditions have been bogus, how come the Jews did not understand t his and went on to use the great works composed by Muslims? Saadia Gaon, the fam ous Jewish linguist, says: Saadia expresses himself unreservedly about his indebtness to Arabic authors, wh o served him as models in the composition of his work. "It is reported," he says , "that one of the worthies among the Ishmaelites, realizing to his sorrow that the people do not use the Arabic language correctly, wrote a short treatise for them. From which they might learn proper usages. Similarly, I have noticed that many of the Israelites even the common rules for the correct usage of our (Hebre w) language, much less the more difficult rules, so that when they speak in pros e most of it is faulty, and when they write poetry only a few of the ancient rul es are observed, and majority of them are neglected. This has induced me to comp ose a work in two parts containing most of the (Hebrew) words.[4] Guillaume informs us in his preface of the book The Legacy Of Islam: Since the beginning of the nineteenth century there has been a constant recourse

to Arabic for the explanation of rare words and forms in Hebrew; for Arabic tho ugh more than a thousand years junior as a literary language, is the senior phil osophically by countless centuries. Perplexing phenomenon in Hebrew can often be explained as solitary and archaic survivals of the form which are frequent and common in the cognate Arabic. Words and idioms whose precise sense had been lost in Jewish tradition, receive a ready and convincing explanation from the same s ource. Indeed no serious student of the Old Testament can afford to dispense wit h a first-hand knowledge in Arabic. The pages of any critical commentary on the Old Testament will illustrate the debt of the Biblical exegesis owes to Arabic.[ 5] It turns out that the same tradition which Katz addressed as 'bogus' result in t he exegesis of his own scriptures, the Old Testament. Since Christianity did not have anything like the 'tradition' to evaluate their own material, we see quite a lot of differences. Let us now examine the great tr adition of the Church which Katz wants Muslims to trust and also to see which tr adition is really bogus. This document is divided into the following: Church Tradition & The Bible Protestant Church Roman Catholic Church Anglican Church Greek Orthodox Church Coptic Church Ethiopic Church Syriac Church Church Tradition & Apostolic Fathers Clement Of Rome Ignatius Of Antioch The Didache Papias Of Heirapolis Barnabas Polycarp Of Smyrna Hermas Of Rome The So-Called Second Epistle Of Clement Church Tradition & The Early Lists Of The Books Of The New Testament Church Tradition & 'Inspiration' Of New Testament Books The Didache

Epistle Of Clement Epistle Of Barnabas Shepherd Of Hermas Church Tradition & Manuscripts Church Tradition & The Six 'Disputed' Books Conclusions

Church Tradition & The Bible It must be made clear that there is nothing like The number of books in the Bible actually depend erefore if we follow the Church tradition we end fer in number of books in both the Old Testament one Bible with a set of books. upon the Church one follows. Th with following Bibles. They dif and the New Testament:

Protestant Church Historically, Protestant churches have recognized the Hebrew canon as their Old Testament, although differently ordered, and with some books divided so that the total number of books is thirty-nine. These books, as arranged in the tradition al English Bible, fall into three types of literature: seventeen historical book s (Genesis to Esther), five poetical books ( Job to Song of Solomon), and sevent een prophetical books. With the addition of another twenty-seven books (the four Gospels, Acts, twenty-one letters, and the book of Revelation), called the New Testament, the Christian scriptures are complete.[6]

Roman Catholic Church The Protestant canon took shape by rejecting a number of books and parts of book s that had for centuries been part of the Old Testament in the Greek Septuagint and in the Latin Vulgate, and had gained wide acceptance within the Roman Cathol ic church. In response to the Protestant Reformation, at the Council of Trent ( 1546) the Catholic church accepted, as deuterocanonical, Tobit, Judith, the Gree k additions to Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, the Letter of Jere miah, three Greek additions to Daniel (the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon), and I and 2 Maccabees. These book s, together with those in the Jewish canon and the New Testament, constitute the total of seventy three books accepted by the Roman Catholic church.[7]

Anglican Church The Anglican church falls between the Catholic church and many Protestant denomi nations by accepting only the Jewish canon and the New Testament as authoritativ e, but also by accepting segments of the apocryphal writings in the lectionary a nd liturgy. At one time all copies of the Authorized or King James Version of 16 11 included the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments.[8]

Greek Orthodox Church The Bible of the Greek Orthodox church comprises all of the books accepted by th e Roman Catholic church, plus I Esdras, the Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, and 3 Maccabees. The Slavonic canon adds 2 Esdras, but designates I and 2 Esdras as 2 and 3 Esdras. Other Eastern churches have 4 Maccabees as well.[9] (See below)

Coptic Church Athanasius issued his Thirty-Ninth Festal Epistle not only in the Greek but also in Coptic, in a slightly different form - though the list of the twenty seven b ooks of the New Testament is the same in both languages. How far, however the li st remained authoritative for the Copts is problematical. The Coptic (Bohairic) translation of the collection knowns as the Eighty-Five Apostlic Canons conclude s with a different sequence of the books of the New Testament and is enlarged by the addition of two others: the four Gospels; the Acts of the Apostles; the fou rteen Epistles of Paul (not mentioned individually); two Epistles of Peter, thre e of John, one of James, one of Jude; the Apocalypse of John; the two Epistles o f Clement.[10]

Ethiopic (Abyssinian) Church Until 1959, the Ethiopic Church was under the jurisdiction of the head of Coptic Church. Hence it is not surprising that its canon of Scripture should parallel in some respects that of the Coptic Church. The Ethiopic church has the largest Bible of all, and distinguishes different ca nons, the "narrower" and the "broader," according to the extent of the New Testa ment. The Ethiopic Old Testament comprises the books of the Hebrew Bible as well as all of the deuterocanonical books listed above, along with Jubilees, I Enoch , and Joseph ben Gorion's (Josippon's) medieval history of the Jews and other na tions. The New Testament in what is referred to as the "broader" canon is made u p of thirty-five books, joining to the usual twenty-seven books eight additional texts, namely four sections of church order from a compilation called Sinodos, two sections from the Ethiopic Book of the Covenant, Ethiopic Clement, and Ethio pic Didascalia. When the "narrower" New Testament canon is followed, it is made up of only the familiar twenty-seven books, but then the Old Testament books are divided differently so that they make up 54 books instead of 46. In both the na rrower and broader canon, the total number of books comes to 81.[11] Bruce Metzger in his book The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significan ce & Development elaborates more on the books accepted by Ethiopic Church. The'b roader' Canon of Ethiopic New Testament consists of the following thirty five bo oks: The four Gospels Acts The (seven) Catholic Epistles The (fourteen) Epistles of Paul The Book of Revelation

Sinodos (four sections) Clement The Book of the Covenant (two sections) Didascalia The contents of the last four titles in the list are as follows. The Sinodos is a book of church order, comprising an extensive collection of canons, prayers, a nd instructions attributed to Clement of Rome. Clement (Qalementos) is a book in seven parts, communicated by Peter to Clement. It is not the Roman or Corinthian correspondence, nor one of the three parts of the Sinodos that are sometimes called 1, 2, and 3 Clement, nor part of the Syri ac Octateuch of Clement. The Book of Covenant (Mashafa kidan) is counted as two parts. The first part of sixty sections comprises chiefly material on church order; section 61 is a disco urse of the Lord to his disciples after his resurrection, similar to the Testame ntum Domini. The Ethiopic Didascalia (Didesqelya) is a book of Church order in forty-three ch apters, distinct from the Didascalia Apostolorum, but similar to books I-VII of so-called Apostlic Constitutions.[12]

Syriac Church Let us also not forget the Syriac Churches which used to deal with Diatesseron, the four-in-one Gospel, introduced by Tatian which was read in the Syriac Church es for quite some time before it was replaced by Peshitta. Peshitta has again a different number of Books in the New Testament. This represents for the New Testament an accomodation of the canon of the Syrian s with that of the Greeks. Third Corinthians was rejected, and, in addition to t he fourteen Pauline Epistles (including Hebrews, following Philemon), three long er Catholic Epistles (James, 1 Peter, and 1 John) were included. The four shorte r Catholic Epistles (2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude) and the Apocalypse are abs ent from the Peshitta Syriac version, and thus the Syriac canon of the New Testa ment contained but twenty-two writings. For a large part of the Syrian Church th is constituted the closing of the canon, for after the Council of Ephesus (AD 43 1) the East Syrians separated themselves as Nestorians from the Great Church.[13 ] Peshitta is still followed by the Christians in the sourthern state of Kerala in India. Still today the official lectionary followed by the Syrian Orthodox Church, with headquarters at Kottayam (Kerala), and the Chaldean Syriac Church, also known a s the the Church of the East (Nestorian), with headquarters at Trichur (Kerala), presents lessons from only the twenty-two books of Peshitta, the version to whi ch appeal is made for the settlement of doctrinal questions.[14] To make the issue clearer, we are here dealing with different number of books of New Testament followed by different churches all over the world. These are not the different translations of the Bible, the argument which Christian missionari es use to brush the problem under the carpet. Calling another church heretical i

s not going to work the problem out because there was no single book right from the beginning of Christianity which constituted the New Testament as we would se e later, inshAllaah. The New Testament as we see today, depends upon the Church again(!), is a product of centuries worth of metamorphosis. Under Canon of the N ew Testament the Catholic Encyclopedia says: The idea of a complete and clear-cut canon of the New Testament existing from th e beginning, that is from Apostolic times, has no foundation in history. The Can on of the New Testament, like that of the Old, is the result of a development, o f a process at once stimulated by disputes with doubters, both within and withou t the Church, and retarded by certain obscurities and natural hesitations, and w hich did not reach its final term until the dogmatic definition of the Tridentin e Council.[15] So, the great Church tradition has not made up her mind on the Bible. Now this would be big enough problem for the Christian missionaries to ruminate, inshAllaah. Let us now go into the issue of what the Apostolic Fathers refer to during their time.

Church Tradition & Apostolic Fathers It is a frequent claim by the Christian missionaries that the Church Fathers bel ieved that the New Testament was considered as 'inspired' Scripture. Bruce M Metzger, a noted authority on the New Testament, analyzing the Apostolic Fathers viz., Clement of Rome, Ignatius, the Didache, fragments of Papias, Barn abas, Hermas of Rome, and the so-called 2 Clement concludes the following:

Clement Of Rome By way of summary, we see that Clement's Bible is the Old Testament, to which he refers repeated as Scripture, quoting it with more or less exactness. Clement a lso makes occasional reference to certain words of Jesus; though they are author itative to him, he does not appear to enquire how their authenticity is ensured. In two of the three instances that he speaks of remembering 'the words' of Chri st or of the Lord Jesus, it seems that he has a written record in mind, but he d oes not call it a 'gospel'. He knows several of Paul's epistles, and values them highly for their content; the same can be said of the Epistle of the Hebrews wi th which he is well acquainted. Although these writings obviously possess for Cl ement considerable significance, he never refers to them as authoritative 'Scrip ture'.[16]

Ignatius Of Antioch The upshot of all this is that the primary authority for Ignatius was the aposto lic preaching about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, though it made little difference to him whether it was oral or written. He certainly knew a collection of Paul's epistles, including (in the order of frequency of his us e of them) 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Romans, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians. It is probable that he knew the Gospels according to Matth ew and John, and perhaps also Luke. There is no evidence that he regarded any of these Gospels or Epistles as 'Scripture'.[17]

The Didache The Didache is a short manual or moral instruction and Church practice. The Chur ch history writer Eusebius and Athanasius even considered to be on the fringe of the New Testament Canon[18]. Assigning the composition of Didache has ranged fr om first century to fourth century by the scholars, but most of them prefer to a ssign it in the first half of the second century[19]. Metzger summarizes the boo k as: By way of summary, we can see from Didache that itinerant apostles and Prophets still find an important place in the life of the Church, but this authority is d eclining. Their activity is surrounded by all sorts of precautions and rests ult imately on the authority of the traditional teaching deriving from the Lord, who se manner they must exhibit: 'Not everyone who speaks in a spirit is a prophet, except he have the ways of the Lord. By their ways, then, the false prophet and the true prophet shall be distinguished' (xi. 8). The author refers to the gospe l, but he cites only words of Jesus. This 'gospel', which is without doubt the G ospel according to Matthew, is not regarded as a necessary source from which the words of the Lord, with indispensable warrants, come to the faithful, but quite simply as a convenient collection of these words.[20]

Papias Of Heirapolis By way of summary, Papias stands as a kind of bridge between the oral and writte n stages in the transmission of the gospel tradition. Although he professes to h ave a marked preference for the oral tradition, one nevertheless sees at work th e causes that, more and more, would lead to the rejection of that form of tradit ion in favour of written gospels. On the whole, therefore, the testimony of Papi as concerning the development of the canon of the New Testament is significant c hiefly in reflecting the usage of the community in which devotion to oral tradit ion hindered the development of a clear idea of canonicity.[21]

Barnabas Epistle of Barnabas is a theological tract. Both Clement of Alexandria and Orige n valued the work highly and attributed its composition Barnabas, the companion and co-worker of the apostle Paul. Metzger summarizes the position of Barnabas concerning the scripture as the foll owing. By way of summary, one can see that for Barnabas the Scriptures are what we call the Old Testament, including several books outside the Hebrew canon. Most of hi s contacts with the Synoptic traditions involve simple sentences that might well have been known to a Christian of that time from oral tradition. As against the single instance of his using the formula, 'it is written', in introducing the s tatement, 'Many are called, but few are chosen', must be placed his virtual negl ect of the New Testament. If, on the other hand, he wrote shortly before or afte r 130, the focus of his subject matter would not make it necessary to do much qu oting from New Testament books - if indeed he knew many of them. In either case he provides no evidence for the development of the New Testament canon.[22]

Polycarp Of Smyrna By way of summary, the short Epistle of Polycarp contains proportionately far mo re allusions to the writings of the New Testament than are present in any other of the Apostolic Fathers. He certainly had a collection of at least eight Paulin e Epistles (including two of the Pastorals), and was acquainted as well with Heb rews, 1 Peter, and 1 John. As for the Gospels, he cites as sayings of the Lord p hrases that we find in Matthew and Luke. With one exception, none of Polycarp's many allusions is cited as Scripture - and that exception, as we have seen, is h eld by some to have been mistakenly attributed to the Old Testament. At the same time Polycarp's mind is not only saturated with ideas and phrases derived from a considerable number of writings that later came to be regarded as New Testamen t Scriptures, but he also displays latent respect for these apostolic documents as possessing an authority lacking in other writings. Polycarp, as Grant remarks , 'clearly differentiates the apostolic age from his own time and, presumably fo r this reason, does not use the letters of Ignatius as authoritieseven though the y "contain faith, endurance, and all the edification which pertains to our Lord" (xiii. 2)'.[23]

Hermas Of Rome By way of summary, it is obvious that Hermas was not given to making quotations from literature; in fact, the only actual book anywhere named and quoted in the Shepherd ( Vis. ii. 3) is an obscure Jewish apocalypse known as the book of Elda d and Modat. Despite reminiscences from Matthew, Ephesians, and James, Hermas ma kes no comment that would lead us to think that he regarded them as canonical Sc ripture. From the testimony contained in the Shepherd, it can in any case be obs erved how uneven during the course of the second century was the development of the idea of the canon.[24]

The So-Called Second Epistle Of Clement This work is not the genuine work of Clement of Rome. This is regarded as an ear ly Christian sermon. The style of this work is different from that of 1 Clement. Both date and composition of this work are difficult to determine. It was proba bly written around 150 CE. Metzger summarizes the contents of this work as: By way of recapitulation, the unknown author of 2 Clement certainly knew and use d Matthew and Luke, 1 Corinthians and Ephesians. There is no trace of the Johann ine Gospel or Epistles, or of the Book of Acts. And one can not say more than th at he may have known Hebrews, James, and 1 Peter. Of the eleven times he cites w ords of Jesus, five are not to be found in the canonical Gospels. The presence o f these latter, as well as the citation in xi. 2-4 of an apocryphal book of the Old Testament, introduced as 'the prophetic word', shows that our homilist's quo tations of divinely authoritative words are not controlled by any strict canonic al idea, even in relation to Old Testament writings.[25] After studying the writings of all the Apostolic Fathers, Bruce Metzger conclude s that: For early Jewish Christians the Bible consisted of the Old Testament and some Je wish apocryphal literature. Along with this written authority went traditions, c hiefly oral, of sayings attributed to Jesus. On the other hand, authors who belo nged to the 'Hellenistic Wing' of the Church refer more frequently to writings t hat later came to be included in the New Testament. At the same time, however, t hey very rarely regarded such documents as 'Scripture'.

Furthermore, there was as yet no conception of the duty of exact quotation from books that were not yet in the full sense canonical. Consequently, it is sometim es exceedingly difficult to ascertain which New Testament books were known to ea rly Christian writers; our evidence does not become clear until the end of secon d century.[26] We have evidence of the spotty development and treatment of the writings later r egarded as the New Testament in the second and third centuries CE. Gradually wri tten Gospels, and collections of epistles, different ones in different regions, became to be more highly regarded. So for 200 years or so there was nothing like New Testament to begin with. The g reat Church tradition did not even bother to collect the 'Scriptures' between tw o covers!

Church Tradition & The Early Lists Of The Books Of The New Testament Now when the Church tradition finally started to make up her mind on compiling t he New Testament various lists of books in the Canons of the Bible were drawn. B ruce Metzger gives the following list of the Canons of the Bible drawn at differ ent times in the 'western' Church. Please note that we still do not have the gre at deal of idea about how many lists were drawn in the Eastern Churches such as Coptic and Ethiopic. The following are the canons drawn at various points of tim e in the Church history. To complete the thoughts about how the New Testament evolved, a brief survey of early lists of the books of the New Testament is necessary. The list is taken fr om Appendix IV of Bruce Metzger's The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Si gnificance & Development[27]. The Muratorian Canon The Canon Of Origen (A.D. c. 185 - 254) The Canon Of Eusebius Of Caesarea (A.D. 265 - 340) A Canon Of Uncertain Date And Provenance Inserted in Codex Claromontanus The Canon Of Cyril Of Jerusalem (c. A.D. 350) The Cheltenham Canon (c. A.D. 360) The Canon Approved By The Synod Of Laodicea (c. A.D. 363) The Canon Of Athanasius (A.D. 367) The Canon Approved By The 'Apostolic Canons' (c. A.D. 380) The Canon Of Gregory Of Nazianzus (A.D. 329 - 89) The Canon Of Amphilochius Of Iconium (d. 394) The Canon Approved By The Third Synod Of Carthage (A.D. 397) The earliest exact reference to the 'complete' New Testament as we now know it w as in the year 367 CE, in a letter by Athanasius. This did not settle the matter

. Varying lists continued to be drawn up by different church authorities as can be seen from above. The Catholic Church proclaims itself to be the authority for the Canon and the i nterpretation of scripture, therefore the owner of the list of 27 books. Neverth eless, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, entry Canon of NT proclaims that 20 books of the New Testament are inherently worth more than the 7 deuterocanoni cal books (Hebrews, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, James, Jude, Revelation), acknowledgi ng that the authenticity or reliability of them had already been challenged by a ncient Christian authorities. The Catholic New Testament, as defined by the Council of Trent, does not differ, as regards the books contained, from that of all Christian bodies at present. L ike the Old Testament, the New has its deuterocanonical books and portions of bo oks, their canonicity having formerly been a subject of some controversy in the Church. These are for the entire books: the Epistle to the Hebrews, that of Jame s, the Second of St. Peter, the Second and Third of John, Jude, and Apocalypse; giving seven in all as the number of the New Testament contested books. The form erly disputed passages are three: the closing section of St. Mark's Gospel, xvi, 9-20 about the apparitions of Christ after the Resurrection; the verses in Luke about the bloody sweat of Jesus, xxii, 43, 44; the Pericope Adulter, or narrativ e of the woman taken in adultery, St. John, vii, 53 to viii, 11. Since the Counc il of Trent it is not permitted for a Catholic to question the inspiration of th ese passages.[28] We will deal more with the individual books (i.e., Hebrews, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 Joh n, James, Jude, Revelation) later, inshAllaah. Church Tradition & 'Inspiration' Of New Testament Books Whatever this word 'inspiration' means in the Church tradition to select the boo ks, it does not mean what it actually means. A small list of the following books which are not there in the present day New Testament were at once time consider ed 'inspired'. Going further in history as the concept of New Testament 'Canon' evolved many books were considered 'inspired' which we do not see in the Bibles of 20th century. A brief survey of those books would be considered here.

The Didache: Several of the writings of the Apostolic Fathers were for a time regarded in som e localities as authoritative. The Didache was used both by Clement of Alexandri a and by Origen as Scripture, and there is evidence that during the following ce ntury it continued to be so regarded in Egypt.[29]

Epistle of Clement: The text of the (First) Epistle of Clement is contained, along with a portion of the so-called Second Epistle of Clement, at the end of the fifth-century Codex Alexandrinus of the Greek Bible (the manuscript is defective at the end). Irenae us, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen all made use of the epistle. We know that about A.D. 170 it was customary to read 1 Clement in public services of worship at Corinth.[30]

Epistle of Barnabas:

The Epistle of Barnabas was for a time on the fringe of the canon. Clement of Al exandria regarded it as of sufficient importance to write a commentary on it in his Hypotyposes, now lost. Origen calls it 'catholic', a term that he elsewhere applies to 1 Peter and 1 John. It stands after the New Testament in the fourth-c entury Codex Sinaiticus of the Greek Bible.[31]

Shepherd of Hermas: The Shepherd of Hermas was used as Scripture by Irenaeus, Tertullian (before his conversion to Montanism), Clement of Alexandria, and Origen, though according t o Origen it was not generally read in church. The Muratorian Canon reflects the esteem in which the work was held at the time that list was compiled, but accord ing to the unknown compiler, it might be read but not proclaimed as Scripture in church.[32] Furthermore, Clement of Alexandria had a very 'open' canon, i.e., he did not min d using the materials of pagans, 'heretics' and other Christian literature.[33] It is worthwhile reminding here that we have already seen different set of books in Ethiopic and Coptic Church.

Church Tradition & Manuscripts As much as there is a variation is the canons of the Bible as well as in its 'in spiration', it is reflected in the manuscripts too. Below is some material taken from The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible, Under Text, NT. Interestingly e nough, this section starts with The Problem. Many Christian apologists prefer to brush this well-known problem under the carpet as if it does not exist!

THE PROBLEM. The NT is now known, whole or in part, in nearly five thousand Gree k MSS alone. Every one of these handwritten copics differ from every other one. In addition to these Greek MSS, the NT has been preserved in more than ten thous and MSS of the early versions and in thousands of quotations of the Church Fathe rs. These MSS of the versions and quotations of the Church Fathers differ from o ne another just as widely as do the Greek MSS. Only a fraction of this great mas s of material has been fully collated and carefully studied. Until this task is completed, the uncertainty regarding the text of the NT will remain. It has been estimated that these MSS and quotations differ among themselves betw een 150,000 and 250,000 times. The actual figure is, perhaps, much higher. A stu dy of 150 Greek MSS of the Gospel of Luke has revealed more than 30,000 differen t readings. It is true, of course, that the addition of the readings from anothe r 150 MSS of Luke would not add another 30,000 readings to the list. But each MS studied does add substantially to the list of variants. It is safe to say that there is not one sentence in the NT in which the MS tradition is wholly uniform. Many thousands of these different readings are variants in orthography or gramma r or style and however effect upon the meaning of the text. But there are many t housands which have a definite effect upon the meaning of the text. It is true t hat not one of these variant readings affects the substance of Christian dogma. It is equally true that many of them do have theological significance and were i ntroduced into the text intentionally. It may not, e.g., affect the substance of Christian dogma to accept the reading "Jacob the father of Joseph, and Joseph ( to whom the virgin Mary was betrothed) the father of Jesus who is called 'Christ

'" (Matt. 1:16), as does the Sinaitic Syriac; but it gives rise to a theological problem. It has been said that the great majority of the variant readings in the text of the NT arose before the books of the NT were canonized and that after those book s were canonized, they were very carefully copied because they were scripture. T his, however, is far from being the case. It is true, of course, that many variants arose in the very earliest period. The re is no reason to suppose, e.g., that the first person who ever made a copy of the autograph of thc Gospel of Luke did not change his copy to conform to the pa rticular tradition with which he was familiar. But he was under no compulsion to do so. Once the Gospel of Luke had become scripture, however, the picture was c hanged completely. Then the copyist was under compulsion to change his copy, to correct it. Because it was scripture, it had to be right.[34] After reading all this, does not the Muslim position of the corruption of the Bi ble hold water? And of course, again which Bible manuscript is inspired? Now we all know that none of the variants that are there in the Bible have a cha in of narration or isnad. So it is very hard to say which one or ones is the tru e reading and the other the bogus one. So, futher on we read: Many thousands of the variants which are found in the MSS of the NT were put the re deliberately. They are not merely the result of error or of careless handling of the text. Many were created for theological or dogmatic reasons (even though they may not affect the substance of Christian dogma). It is because the books of the NT are religious books, sacred books, canonical books, that they were cha nged to conform to what the copyist believed to be the true reading. His interes t was not in the "original reading but in the "true reading." This is precisely the attitude toward the NT which prevailed from the earliest times to the Renais sance, the Reformation, and the invention of printing. The thousands of Greek MS S, MSS of the versions, and quotations of the Church Fathers provide the source for our knowledge of the earliest or original text of the NT and of the history of the transmission of that text before the invention of printing.[34] Now if you do not know what the "original reading" is, then there is no point ta lking about 'believing' in what is supposed to be the 'original' reading. So, th is is the great Christian Church tradition which can not even produce two identi cal manuscripts! Furthermore on 'original' reading one can say that since there are no original manuscripts, there is not point talking about 'original' reading at all. This search for 'original' reading would be a mere guess work. Indeed t he Acts of Apostles has earned the notoriety for the variant readings. In fact no book of the NT gives evidence of so much verbal variation as does the Acts of Apostles. Besides the text represented in the oldest uncial Greek MSS, begin with the Codex Vaticanus, often called the Neutral Text and dating back to the second century AD, there is evidence either of a consistent alternative tex t equally old, or of a series of early miscellaneous variants, to which the name Western text is traditionally applied. The ancient authorities of the Western T ext of Acts include only one Greek (or rather bilingual Greek and Latin) uncial MS, Codex Bezae of the fifth or sixth century. But the variants often have strik ing content and strong early support from Latin writers and Latin NT MSS. It now appears that while both the Neutral and Western texts were in circulation, the former is the more likely of the two to represent the original.[35] Apart from the notorious variation, we also have the problem of which text is th e original text. Since we do not know which one is original, the guess work in p ressed into service. This is one such example of guess work. And how come guess work leads to truth?

We have already seen that the there is no original document of the Bible availab le to us to verify its inerrancy doctrine. Concerning the New Testament document s The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible confirms that: The original copies of the NT books have, of course, long since disappeared. Thi s fact should not cause surprise. In the first place, they were written on papyr us, a very fragile and persihable material. In the second place, and probably of even more importance, the original copies of the NT books were not looked upon as scripture by those of the early Christian communities.[36] So, the Qur'an in this aspect is far more better placed than the Bible with all the Qiraa'a associated with it clearly listed with detailed chain of narrations going back to the Companions of the Prophet(P) who in turn learnt the Qur'an fro m the Prophet(P) himself.

Church Tradition & The Six 'Disputed' Books As we have seen above that the books of Hebrews, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, James, J ude and Revelation had quite a dubious history of the entry into the canon, it i s time that we have a cursory glance over their comparatively recent history. Zwingli, at the Berne disputation of 1528, denied that Revelation was a book of the New Testament.[37] Martin Luther condemned the Epistle of James as worthless, an 'epistle of straw. ' Furthermore, he denigrated Jude, Hebrews, and the Apocalypse (Revelation). He did not omit them from his German Bible, but drew a line in the table of content s, putting them on a lower level than the rest of the New Testament. In Prefaces to each of these books, Luther explains his doubts as to their apostolic as wel l as canonical authority.[38] The reformer known as Andreas Bodenstein of Karlstadt (1480-1541) divided the Ne w Testament into three ranks of differing dignity. On the lowest level are the s even disputed books of James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, Jude, Hebrews, and the Apoc alypse (Revelation).[39] Oecolampadius in 1531 under Wurttemberg Confession declared that while all 27 bo oks should be received, the Apocalypse (Revelation), James, Jude, 2 Peter 2 and 3 John should not be compared to the rest of the books.[40] Early in his career, Erasmus (d. 1536) doubted that Paul was the author of Hebre ws, and James of the epistle bearing the name. He also questioned the authorship of 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude. The style of Revelation precludes it from b eing written by the author of the Fourth Gospel.[41] The same four books are labeled 'Apocrypha' in a Bible from Hamburg in 1596. In Sweden, beginning in 1618, the Gustavus Adolphus Bible labels the four dubious b ooks as 'Apocryphal New Testament.' This arrangement lasted for more than a cent ury.[42]

Conclusions With all the gory details of the Church history and the Bible are out, with no c lear cut indication of the Bible and its 'inspiration', why would any Muslim eve n bother to read it? And above all why should a Christian missionaries would pus

h such a dubious set of scriptures down the throat of Muslims? And above all why call it injil? 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, the well known Companion of the Prophet(P), is reported to have said: Do not ask the ahl al-kitab about anything (in tafsir), for they cannot guide yo u and are themselves in error....[43] If Christianity has got the biographies of the people who transmitted their New Testament or Old Testament as well as their traditions, it would compete with th e Islamic science of hadith. Alas, with no isnad, who is going to believe in the ir Bible and what is in it? And as the illustrious teacher of Imaam Bukhari had said: "The isnad is part of the religion: had it not been for the isnad, whoever wishe d to would have said whatever he liked." The lack of isnad and people drawing different Canons of the Bible seem to be th e problem of people saying whatever they wished. Any one would claim anything an d the Bible canon seems to reflect precisely that. And look how bogus the missionary argument turned out to be!

A Few Questions As Muslims we are obliged to ask: 1. Which Bible or the books are inspired? Is it the Greek Orthodox, Roman Cathol ic, Protestant, Ethiopic, Coptic or the Syriac? Please remember that they contai n different number of books. It is just not the "oh! those are different transla tions". 2. How can we trust the Church tradition when she herself cannot produce a relia ble bunch of books worth calling a Bible? 3. Why should we trust the Church which cannot even produce a set of manuscripts throughout the centuries which can be relied on instead of the guess work to fi nd which reading is the original? 4. How do we know that Jesus said what is there in the Bible as there is no way of confirm how his words got transmitted? This is one of the major argument of I slamic traditionalists against the Older scriptures which deal with Israa'iliyat stuff. And they were rejected outright for very obvious reasons. And if Christian missionaries cannot answer these question, there is no point ca lling the Bible as a reliable document. Therefore, an unreliable document is wor th not calling a 'Scripture'.

References [1] Suhaib Hasan, An Introduction To The Science Of Hadith, 1995, Darussalam Pub lishers, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, pp. 11. [2] Bernard Lewis, Islam in History, 1993, Open Court Publishing, pp.104-105.

[3] W Montgomery Watt, What is Islam?, 1968, Longman, Green and Co. Ltd., pp. 12 4-125. [4] Henry Malter, Saadia Gaon: His Life And Works, 1921, The Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia, pp. 39-40. [5] Alfred Guillaume, The Legacy Of Islam, 1931, Oxford, pp. ix. [6] Bruce M Metzger & Michael D Coogan (Ed.), Oxford Companion To The Bible, 199 3, Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York, pp. 79 (Under 'Bible'). [7] ibid. [8] ibid. [9] ibid. [10] Bruce M Metzger, The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significance & Development, 1997, Clarendon Press, Oxford, pp. 225. [11] Metzger, Oxford Companion To The Bible, Op.Cit, pp. 79. [12] Metzger, The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significance & Develop ment, Op.Cit, pp. 227-228. [13] ibid., pp. 219. [14] ibid., pp. 220. [15] The Catholic Encyclopedia Online Edition. [16] Metzger, The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significance & Develop ment, Op.Cit, pp. 43. [17] ibid., pp. 49. [18] ibid., pp. 49. [19] ibid., pp. 50. [20] ibid., pp. 51. [21] ibid., pp. 55-56. [22] ibid., pp. 58-59. [23] ibid., pp. 62-63. [24] ibid., pp. 67. [25] ibid., pp. 71-72. [26] ibid., pp. 72-73. [27] ibid., pp. 305-315. [28] The Catholic Encyclopedia Online Edition. [29] Metzger, The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significance & Develop ment, Op.Cit, pp. 187-188.

[30] ibid., pp. 188. [31] ibid.. [32] ibid.. [33] Ibid. pp.130-135. [34] George Arthur Buttrick (Ed.), The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible, Vo lume 4, 1962 (1996 Print), Abingdon Press, Nashville, pp. 594-595 (Under Text, N T). [35] George Arthur Buttrick (Ed.), The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible, Vo lume 1, pp. 41 (Under Acts of the Apostles). [36] Ibid., pp. 599 (Under Text, NT). [37] Metzger, The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significance & Develop ment, Op.Cit, pp. 273. [38] Ibid. pp. 243. [39] Ibid. pp. 241-242. [40] Ibid. pp. 244. [41] Ibid. pp. 241. [42] Ibid. pp. 244-245. [43] Ahmad von Denffer, 'Ulum al-Qur'an, 1994, The Islamic Foundation, pp. 134. *********************************************************************** The Myth of New Testament Manuscript Evidence http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=233:the-myth-o f-new-testament-manuscript-evidence&catid=56:let-the-bible-speak-out&Itemid=175 An exposure of the supposed evidence for the new testament. "All of these manuscripts - regardless of how early - date back to the time when there were already doctrinal and "Christological" debates within the early Chur ch. Even if they had an entire New Testament manuscript that dated all the way b ack to (St.) Paul, that would in no way prove that it contained the correct inte rpretation of Jesus' mission, peace be upon him. Who's to say that Paul wasn't t he real heretic?" Considering the myriad of illusionary and dishonest tactics used by Evangelical Christians, it would be difficult to choose the ones that I feel are the most di shonest. One that jumps quickly to mind is using the "Jews for Jesus" (or other so-called "Messianic Jews") as "Jewish" references in the hopes that the simpleminded Muslim inquisitor won't know that these are wholly CHRISTIAN organization s (their deceptive names notwithstanding). There are quite a number of examples of this trick on the Answering Islam type site. If you want to find out more abo ut these deceptive "Jewish Christian" cults - which are really just another fron t for evangelism - read what real Jews say about "the methods and practices of t he deceptive missionary and cult groups" at Jews for Judaism.

OUTRIGHT DECEPTION

Running a close second in this smoke and mirrors charade is the claim that there exists a large number of early New Testament manuscripts (mss). For the sake of consistency, we'll define "early" as 325 A.D., which is the date used in the qu otation below. We're addressing this issue, even though it's rather beside the p oint, since even if this large number of manuscripts existed, it would not prove that the current received text of the New Testament contains the authentic word s and teachings of Jesus, peace be upon him. However, what we're mainly concerne d with here is the outright dishonest claims regarding the number of early New T estament manuscripts. The propaganda of the self-proclaimed followers of Jesus ( peace be upon him) reads as follows: (1) New Testament Manuscripts: We have in our possession 5,300 known New Testament Greek manuscripts, 10,000 Latin Vulgates, and 9,300 other early versions (MSS), giving us more than 24,000 manuscript copies of portions of the New Testament in existence. These were mostly written before 325 A.D., and long before the compilation of the Qur'an (taken from McDowell's Evidence That demands a Verdict, vol..1, 1972 pgs.40-48; and Ostling, Time, January 23, 1995, pg.57) (From: http://debate.org.uk/topics/history/bib-qur/bibmanu.htm) In order to refute this outrageous claim (there's not one-tenth of the number me ntioned!), further down in this document I provide a few quotations from The Jes us Legend, by G. A. Wells, which itself quotes other Biblical scholars. In conju nction with this information, there is the on-line Table of Greek Manuscripts, w hich contains a listing of all known early New Testament manuscripts and fragmen ts. It is important to note "fragment", since many of the "manuscripts" are just that - small fragments. The reader should also be aware of the fact that the fo otnotes to The Jesus Legend mention some manuscripts by their papyrus identifier s (i.e. P52, P90, P45 and P75) and that these correspond to the manuscript numbe rs "ms. nr." listed on Table of Greek Manuscripts page. Thus by using this on-li ne reference, one can personally verify the truth of the claims of Christian pro paganda. Not surprisingly, their claims are wholly false and deceptive. For exam ple: It is interesting to see that a non-Christian scholar says that: "of all the syn optic manuscripts which can be dated to the fourth century or earlier, only two (P45and P75, both of the third century) contain more than a chapter." This can b e verified by spending a little time at the Table of Greek Manuscripts page. It' s true -ALL of the other pre-fourth century manuscripts contain only a few verse s!!! However, don't forget that Christian author cited above claimed "24,000 man uscript copies of portions of the New Testament" which "were mostly written befo re 325 A.D"!!! Like many other Christian apologists, Jochen Katz simply parrots this claim when he says: "And I believe that with the basis of many thousands of manuscripts fo r comparison we can be very confident that the text is today faithfully restored and the researchers in textual criticism assert that the actual literal text is restored to 99.8% leaving only a very few uncertainties." (DejaNews) The questi

on needs to be asked - how old are these "thousands of manuscripts" and how much of the New Testament they contain? Whether ignorance or deception is behind thi s statement, it's worthless none the less. Another example of the complete deception that runs throughout the article quote d above is the statement by the Christian author that "Until two years ago, the oldest assumed manuscript which we possessed was the St. John papyrus (P52)". Un fortunately for him, we all now know what "P52" means! We can simply go to the T able of Greek Manuscripts and see how much of the New Testament that this "manus cript" contains. How much? Exactly five verses of the "Gospel of John" (18:31-33 ,37-38)!!! However, the author was using it as an example of a "New Testament Ma nuscript" - never bothering to mention how small a "portion" it really is. A rea der who didn't know any better could go away thinking that this St. John papyrus - and the others referred to - are complete New Testament "manuscripts". Need I say more? Suffice it to say that the overwhelming majority of manuscripts that this dishonest (and anonymous?) author refers to have no bearing on proving the textual veracity of everything in the current New Testament. All of these manusc ripts - regardless of how early - date back to the time when there were already doctrinal and "Christological" debates within the early Church. Even if they had an entire New Testament manuscript that dated all the way back to (St.) Paul, t hat would in no way prove that it contained the correct interpretation of Jesus' mission, peace be upon him. Who's to say that Paul wasn't the real heretic? Wit h all of the followers that Jesus, peace be upon him had, it seems strange that Almighty God did not choose someone who had actually seen and followed him to sp read his message! Many studies have been done trying to decipher the relationshi p between Paul, Judaism and the early Jerusalem Church - and many conclude that Paul was the one who altered the true teachings of Jesus, peace be upon him. For those who want to study more on this, I recommend reading James the Brother of Jesus, Jesus and Judaism and/or The Mythmaker: Paul and the Invention of Christi anity.

McDOWELL'S "EVIDENCE"

The reader should also be aware that the above Christian propaganda article heav ily relies on the works of Josh McDowell for references. For those unfamiliar wi th him, Josh McDowell is a Christian apologist and evangelist - he is NOT a scho lar. His (in)famous work Evidence That Demands a Verdict has been thoroughly ref uted by numerous authors. One of the more detailed on-line refutations is The Ju ry Is In.

FINALLY . . . THE EVIDENCE

Well that's a long enough introduction - now it's time for the evidence. When I began writing this article, I was only planning on discussing the quotations lis ted below. For better or for worse, I discussed some related issues before I cam e to the heart of the matter. Anyway . . the quotations below are from The Jesus Legend, by G.A. Wells. Open Court, 1996, pages 70-71. Emphasis added.) "There i s considerable manuscript variation in what Jesus says on divorce, and whether L uke has a doctrine of the atonement depends on which manuscripts of his account of the Last Supper are to be taken as giving the original reading...The Internat ional Greek NT's apparatus of Luke provides what the Birmingham theologian D. Pa rker reckons to be "upwards of 30,000 variants for that Gospel, so that we have,

for example, 81 in the Lord's Prayer." He adds: We do not possess the Greek New Testament. What we have is a mass of manuscripts , of which only about three hundred date from before A.D. 800. A mere thirty-fou r of these are older than A.D. 400, of which only four were at any time complete . All these differ, and all at one time or another had authority as the known te xt.1 Ehrman's recent and thorough discussion of the NT text leads him to conclud e that, during the earliest period of its transmission, it "was in a state of fl ux" and "came to be more or less standardized in some regions by the fourth cent ury, and subject to fairly rigid control (by comparison) only in the Byzantine p eriod" (Corruption, p. 28). He adds in a note that this is the view of a wide ra nge of scholars. His reviewer J.K. Elliott, himself a textual critic, has underl ined the importance of this book.2 The footnotes that correspond to the above qu otations can be found immediately below. They contain important information, so please give them at least a glance. -----------------------------------------------------------------------FOOTNOTES -----------------------------------------------------------------------1 D. Parker, 'Scripture is Tradition', Theology, 94 [1991], p. 12. Cf. P.M. Head 's article 'Christology and Textual Transmission: Reverential Alterations in the Synoptic Gospels' (Novum Testamentum, 35 [1993], p. 111), where he notes that " Gospel manuscripts from the second century are very scarce, with only two fragme nts of John's Gospel definitely written before A.D. 200 (i.e. P52 and P90)." He adds that, although fragmentary manuscripts of the synoptic gospels are extant f rom around 200, "of all the synoptic manuscripts which can be dated to the fourt h century or earlier, only two (P45 and P75, both of the third century) contain more than a chapter." (From The Jesus Legend, by G. A. Wells. Open Court, 1996, page 230. Emphasis add ed.) 2 Many, says Elliot, have "fondly argued that, of the myriad textual variants in our fund of extant mss., few affect key doctrinal matters". He adds that if the y read Ehrman, they will find that "the text was regularly adjusted in such area s as the birth of Jesus, the agony in the garden, the institution of the Euchari st, Jesus's death, his cry of dereliction, resurrection and ascension. . . . And these adjustments were made not by those who were labelled as heretics, but by the 'proto-orthodox', the use Ehrman's term". Again, "Ehrman vividly shows how s cribes have preserved or created within the mss. they were copying reflections o f early Christological debates that helped to shape mainstream Christianity" (No vum Testamentum, 36 [1994], pp. 405-06). (From The Jesus Legend, by G. A. Wells. Open Court, 1996, page 230. Emphasis add ed.) ******************************************************************************** ***************************** Early Lists Of The Books Of The New Testament http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=234:early-list s-of-the-books-of-the-new-testament&catid=56:let-the-bible-speak-out&Itemid=175 A compilation of early books of the 'new' testament. Below is a list of books of the New Testament drawn at different times in the hi

story of Christianity. The list is taken from Appendix IV of Bruce Metzger's The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significance & Development (1997, Clare ndon Press, Oxford). Some of the footnotes and cross references are presented an d marked in red. Interested reader may go through the book for further details. The Muratorian Canon The Canon Of Origen (A.D. c. 185 - 254) The Canon Of Eusebius Of Caesarea (A.D. 265 - 340) A Canon Of Uncertain Date And Provenance Inserted in Codex Claromontanus The Canon Of Cyril Of Jerusalem (c. A.D. 350) The Cheltenham Canon (c. A.D. 360) The Canon Approved By The Synod Of Laodicea (c. A.D. 363) The Canon Of Athanasius (A.D. 367) The Canon Approved By The 'Apostolic Canons' (c. A.D. 380) The Canon Of Gregory Of Nazianzus (A.D. 329 - 89) The Canon Of Amphilochius Of Iconium (d. 394) The Canon Approved By The Third Synod Of Carthage (A.D. 397)

1. The Muratorian Canon The following translation usually follows the amended text edited by Hans Lietzm ann, Das Muratorische Fragment und die Monarchianischen Prologue zu den Evangeli en (Kleine Texte, I; Bonn, 1902; 2nd ed., Berlin, 1933.) Owing to the wretched s tate of the Latin text, it is sometimcs difficult to know what the writer intend ed; several phrases, therefore, are provided with alternative renderings (enclos ed within parentheses). Translational expansions are enclosed within square brac kets. The numerals indicate the lines of the original text. . . . at which nevertheless he was present, and so he placed [them in his narrat ive] (2) The third book of the Gospel is that according to Luke. (3) Luke, the w ell-known physician, after the ascension of Christ, (4-5) when Paul had taken hi m with him as one zealous for the law, (6) composed it in his own name, accordin g to [the general] belief. Yet he himself had not (7) seen the Lord in the flesh ; and therefore, as he was able to ascertain events, (8) so indeed he begins to tell the story from the birth of John. (9) The fourth of the Gospels is that of John, [one] of the disciples (10) To his fellow disciples and bishops, who had b een urging him [to write], (11) he said, 'Fast with me from today for three days , and what (12) will be revealed to each one (13) let us tell it to one another. ' In the same night it was revealed (14) to Andrew, [one] of the apostles, (15-1 6) that John should write down all things in his own name while all of them shou ld review it. And so, though various (17) elements may be taught in the individu al books of the Gospels, (18) nevertheless this makes no difference to the faith of believers, since by the one sovereign Spirit all things (20) have been decla red in all [the Gospels]: concerning the (21) nativity, concerning the passion, concerning the resurrection, (22) concerning life with his disciples, (23) and c oncerning his twofold coming; (24) the first in lowliness when he was despised, which has taken place, (25) the second glorious in royal power, (26) which is st

ill in the future. What (27) marvel is it, then, if John so consistently (28) me ntions these particular points also in his Epistles, (29) saying about himself ' What we have seen with our eyes (30) and heard with our ears and our hands (31) have handled, these things we have written to you'? (32) For in this way he prof esses [himself to be not only an eye-witness and hearer, (33) but also a writer of all the marvelous deeds of the Lord, in their order. (34) Moreover, the acts of all the apostles (35) were written in one book. For 'most excellent Theophilu s' Luke compiled (36) the individual events that took place in his presence - (3 7) as he plainly shows by omitting the martyrdom of Peter (38) as well as the de parture of Paul from the city [of Rome] (39) when he journeyed to Spain. As for the Epistles of (40-1) Paul, they themselves make clear to those desiring to und erstand, which ones [they are, trom what place, or for what reason they were sen t. (42) First of all, to the Corinthians, prohibiting their heretical schisms; ( 43) next, to the Galatians, against circumcision; (44-6) then to the Romans he w rote at length, explaining the order (or, plan) of the Scriptures, and also that Christ is their principle (or, main theme). It is necessary (47) for us to disc uss these one by one, since the blessed (48) apostle Paul himself, following the example of his predecessor (49-50) John, writes by name to only seven churches in the following sequence: to the Corinthians (51) first, to the Ephesians secon d, to the Philippians third, (52) to the Colossians fourth, to the Galatians fif th, (53) to the Thessalonians sixth, to the Romans (54-5) seventh. It is true th at he writes once more to the Corinthians and to the Thessalonians for the sake of admonition, (56-7), yet it is clearly recognizable that there is one Church s pread throughout the whole extent of the earth. For John also in the (58) Apocal ypse, though he writes to seven churches, (59-60) nevertheless speaks to all. [P aul also wrote] out of affection and love one to Philemon, one to Titus, and two to Timothy; and these are held sacred (61-3) in the esteem of the Church cathol ic for the regulation of ecclesiastical discipline. There is current also [an ep istle] to (64) the Laodiceans, [and] another to the Alexandrians, [both] forged in Paul's (65) name to [further] the heresy of Marcion, and several others (66) which cannot be received into the catholic church (67) - for it is not fitting t hat gall be mixed with honey. (68) Moreover, the Epistle of Jude and two of the above-mentioned (or, bearing the name of John are counted (or, used) in the cath olic [Church] and [the book of Wisdom, (70) written by the friends of Solomon in his honour. (71) We receive only the apocalypses of John and Peter, (72) though some of us are not willing that the latter be read in church. (73) But Hermas w rote the Shepherd (74) very recently, in our times, in the city of Rome, (75) wh ile bishop Pius, his brother, was occupying the [episcopal] chair (76) of the ch urch of the city of Rome. (77) And therefore it ought indeed to be read; but (78 ) it cannot be read publicly to the people in church either among (79) the proph ets, whose number is complete, or among (80) the apostles, for it is after [thei r] time. (81) But we accept nothing whatever of Arsinous or Valentinus or Miltia des, (82) who also composed (83) a new book of psalms for Marcion, (84-5) togeth er with Basilides, the Asian founder of the Cataphrygians....

2. The Canon Of Origen (A.D. c. 185 - 254) From thc composite account put together by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical Histor y, Vl. XXV. 3-14. In the first book of his [Origen's] Commentary on the Gospel according to Matthe w, defending the canon of the Church, he testifies that he knows only four Gospe ls, writing somewhat as follows: (4) 'Among the four Gospels, which are the only indisputable ones in the Church of God under heaven, I have learned by tradition that first was written that acc ording to Matthew, who was once a tax collector but afterwards an apostle of Jes us Christ, who published it for those who from Judaism came to believe, composed

as it was in the Hebrew language. (5) Secondly, that according to Mark, who com posed it in accordance with the instructions of Peter, who in the catholic Epist le acknowledges him as a son, saying, "She that is in Babylon, elect together wi th you, salutes you, and so does Mark, my son" (1 Pet. V. 13). (6) And thirdly, that according to Luke, the Gospel commended by Paul (cf. 2 Cor. viii. 18) and c omposed for those who from the Gentiles [came to believe]. After them all, that according to John.' (7) And in the fifth book of his Expositions on the Gospel according to John, th e same person says this with reference to the Epistles of the apostles: 'But he who was made sufficient to become a minister of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. III. 6), that is, Paul, who "fully pre ached the gospel from Jerusalem and round about even unto Illyricum" (Rom. XV. 1 9), did not write to all the churches which he had instructed; and even to those to which he wrote he sent but a few lines. (8) And Peter, on whom the Church of Christ is built, "against which the gates of hell shall not prevail" (Matt. xvi . 18), has left one acknowledged Epistle; possibly also a second, but this is di sputed. (9) Why need I speak of him who leaned back on Jesus' breast (John xiii. as), John, who has left behind one Gospel, though he confessed that he could wr ite so many that even the world itself could not contain them (John XXI. 25)? An d he wrote also the Apocalypse, being ordered to keep silence and not to write t he voices of the seven thunders (Rev. X. 4). (10) He has left also an Epistle of a very few lines; and, it may be, a second and a third; for not all say that th ese are genuine but the two of them are not a hundred lines long'. (11) In addition he makes the following statements concerning the Epistle to the Hebrews, in his Homilies upon it: 'That the character of the diction of the Epi stle entitled "To the Hebrews" has not the apostle's rudeness in speech, who ack nowledged himself to be rude in spcech (1 Cor. XI. 6), that is, in style, but th at the Epistle is better Greek in the framing of its diction, will be admitted b y everyone who is able to discern differences of style. (12) But again, on the other hand, that the thoughts of the Epistle are admirable, and not inferior to the acknowledged writings of the apostle, this also everyone who carefully examines the apostoli c text will admit'. ( 13) Further on he adds: 'If I gave my opinion, I should say that the thoughts are those of the apostle, but the style and composition belong to some one who r emembered the apostle's teachings and wrote down at his leisure what had been sa id by his teacher. Therefore, if any church holds that this Epistle is by Paul, let it be commended for this also. For it is not without reason that the men of old time have handed it down as Paul's. ( 14) But who wrote the Epistle, in trut h, God knows. Yet the account that has reached us [is twofold], some saying that Clement, bishop of the Romans, wrote the Epistle, and others, that it was Luke, the one who wrote the Gospel and the Acts'.

3. The Canon Of Eusebius Of Caesarea (A.D. 265 - 340) From Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History, III. xxv. 1-7. At this point it seems appropriate to summarize the writings of the New Testamen t which have already been mentioned. In the first place must be put the holy qua ternion of the Gospels, which are followed by the book of the Acts of the Apostl es. (1) After this must be reckoned the Epistles of Paul; next in order the exta nt former Epistle of John, and likewise the Epistle of Peter must be recognized. After these must be put, if it really seems right, the Apocalypse of John, conc

erning which we shall give the different opinions at the proper time. (3) These, then, [are to be placed] among the recognized books. Of the disputed books, whi ch are nevertheless familiar to the majority, there are extant the Epistle of Ja mes, as it is called; and that of Jude; and the second Epistle of Peter; and tho se that are called the Second and Third of John, whether they belong to the evan gelist or to another person of the same name. (4) Among the spurious books must be reckoned also the Acts of Paul, and the She pherd, as it is called, and the Apocalypse of Peter; and, in addition to these, the extant Epistle of Barnabas, and the Teachings of the Apostles, as it is call ed. And, in addition, as I said, the Apocalypse of John, if it seem right. (This last, as I said, is rejected by some, but others count it among the recognized books.) (5) And among these some have counted also the Gospel of the Hebrews, wi th which those of the Hebrews who have accepted Christ take a special pleasure. (6) Now all these would be among the disputed books; but nevertheless we have fe lt compelled to make this catalogue of them, distinguishing between those writin gs which, according to the tradition of the Church, are true and genuine and rec ognized, from the others which differ from them in that they are not canonical [ lit., entestamented], but disputed, yet nevertheless are known to most churchmen . [And this we have done] in order that we might be able to know both these same writings and also those which the heretics put forward under the name of the ap ostles; including, for instance, such books as the Gospels of Peter, of Thomas, of Matthias, or even of some others besides these, and the Acts of Andrew and Jo hn and the other apostles. To none of these has any who belonged to the successi on of ecclesiastical writers ever thought it right to refer in his writings. (7) Moreover, the character of the style also is far removed from apostolic usage, and the thought and purport of their contents are completely out of harmony with true orthodoxy and clearly show themselves that they are the forgeries of heret ics. For this reason they ought not even to be reckoned among the spurious books , but are to be cast aside as altogether absurd and impious.

4. A Canon Of Uncertain Date And Provenance Inserted in Codex Claromontanus In the sixth-century codex Claromontanus (D), a Greek and Latin manuscript of th e Epistles of Paul, someone placed between Philemon and Hebrews a Latin list of the books of the Bible. Zahn and Harnack were of the opinion that this list had been drawn up originally in Greek at Alexandria or its neighbourhood about A.D. 300. J. Weiss suggested a North-African origin. [An Old Testament list is followed by:] Four Gospels: Matthew, 2600 lines John, 2000 lines Mark, 1600 lines Luke, 2900 lines Epistles of Paul: To the Romans, 1040 lines The First to the Corinthians, 1060 lines

The Second to the Corinthians, 70 (sic) lines To the Galatians, 350 lines To the Ephesians, 365 lines The First to Timothy, 209 lines The Second to Timothy, 289 lines To Titus, 140 lines To the Colossians, 251 lines To Philemon, 50 lines The First to (sic) Peter,9 200 lines The Second to (sic) Peter, 140 lines Of James, 220 lines The First Epistle of John, 220 The Second Epistle of John, 20 The Third Epistle of John, 20 The Epistle of Jude, 60 lines Epistle of Barnabas, 850 lines The Revelation of John, 1200 The Acts of the Apostles, 2600 The Shepherd, 4000 lines The Acts of Paul, 3560 lines The Apocalypse of Peter, 270 The dash before 1 Peter may be only a 'paragraphus', or Greek paragraph mark, to suggest that 1 Peter and the items that follow are not part of the 'Epistles of Paul'. The other four dashes lower in the list identify works of doubtful or di sputed canonicity.

5. The Canon Of Cyril Of Jerusalem (c. A.D. 350) From Cyril's Catechetical Lectures, iv. 36. Then of the New Testament there are four Gospels only, for the rest have false t itles and are harmful. The Manichaeans also wrote a Gospel according to Thomas, which being smeared with the fragrance of the name 'Gospel' destroys the souls o f those who are rather simple-minded. Receive also the Acts of the Twelve Apostl es and in addition to these the seven Catholic Epistles of James, Peter, John, a nd Jude; and as a seal upon them all, and the latest work of disciples, the four teen Epistles of Paul.

But let all the rest be put aside in a secondary rank. And whatever books are no t read in the churches, do not read these even by yourself, as you have already heard [me say concerning the Old Testament apocryphal]. Bruce Metzger comments: The chief surviving work of Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-86), his Catechetical Lec tures , were instructions for catechumens as Lenten preparation prior to undergo ing baptism on Holy Saturday. Dating from about A.D. 350 they were delivered mos tly in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built by Constantin, and were published from shorthand notes taken down by a member of the congregation. It is not surp rising that this series of lectures, devoted, as they are, to presenting a full summary of Christian doctrine and practice, contains a list of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. After enumerating the books of the Old Testament, C yril declares that the New Testament contains only four Gospels, and warns his h earers against other gospels that are forged and hurtful. Following the four Gos pels are the Acts of the Twelve Apostles, the seven Catholic Epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude, and, Cyril concludes, 'as a seal upon them all, the fourt een Epistles of Paul. But let all the rest be put aside in a secondary rank. And whatever books are not read in the churches' do not read these even by yourself '.[1]

6. The Cheltenham Canon (c. A.D. 360) From a list contained in a tenth-century Latin manuscript of miscellaneous conte nt (chiefly patristic) that once belonged to the library of Thomas Phillipps at Cheltenham, England; it was identified in 1886 by Theodor Mommsen. [An Old Testament list is followed by:] Likewise the catalogue of the New Testament: Four Gospels: Matthew, 2700 lines Mark, 1700 lines John, 1800 lines Luke, 3300 lines All the lines make 10,000 lines Epistles of Paul, 13 in number The Acts of the Apostles, 3600 lines The Apocalypse, 1800 lines Three Epistles of John, 350 lines One only Two Epistles of Peter, 300 lines One only Since the index of lines [= stichometry] in the city of Rome is not clearly give

n, and elsewhere too through avarice for gain they do not preserve it in full, I have gone through the books singly, counting sixteen syllables to the line, and have appended to every book the number of Virgilian hexameters.

7. The Canon Approved By The Synod Of Laodicea (c. A.D. 363) The absence of Canon 60 in a variety of Greek, Latin, and Syriac manuscripts mak es it probable that it was a somewhat later appendage, clarifying Canon 59. Can. 59. Let no private psalms nor any uncanonical books be read in church, but only the canonical ones of the New and Old Testament. Can. 60. [After listing the books of the Old Testament, the canon continues:] An d these are the books of the New Testament: four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts of the Apostles; seven Catholic Epistles, namely, one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude; fourteen Epistles of Pa ul, one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonia ns, one to the Hebrews, two to Timothy, one to Titus, and one to Philemon. Bruce Metzger says: That a synod held about 363 at Laodicea, a city in Phrygia Pacatania of Asia Min or, took some action regarding the canon is certain, but its precise decision is unknown to us. At the close of the decrees (or 'canons' as such decrees were co mmonly called) issued by the thirty or so clerics in attendance we read: 'Let no private psalms nor any uncanonical books be read in the church, but only the ca nonical ones of the New and Old Testament.' Thus far the decree is found in all accounts of the synod with but trifling variations. In the later manuscripts, ho wever, this is followed by a list, first of Old Testament books, then of the New - the latter corresponding to our present canon, with the omission of the Book of Revelation). Since the lists are also omitted in most of the Latin and Syriac versions of the decrees, most scholars consider them to have been added to the report of the Synod of Laodicea sometime after 363. Probably some later editor o f the report felt that the books which might be read should be named. In any cas e, it is clear that the Synod of Laodicea attempted no new legislation. The decr ee adopted at this gathering merely recognizes the fact that there are already i n existence certain books, generally recognized as suitable to be read in the pu blic worship of the churches, which are known as the 'canonical' books. If the c atalogues are genuine, they simply give the names of these books, already receiv ed as authoritative in the churches that were represented at the synod.[2]

8. The Canon Of Athanasius (A.D. 367) From Athanasius' Thirty-Ninth Festal Epistle (A.D. 367). . . . Again [after a list of the Old Testament books] it is not tedious to speak of the [booksl of the New Testament. These are, the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. After these, thc Acts of the Apostles and Epistle s called Catholic, of the seven apostles: of James, one; of Peter, two; of John, three; after these, one of Jude. In addition, there are fourteen Epistles of Pa ul the apostle, written in this order: the first, to the Romans; then, two to th e Corinthians; after these, to the Galatians; next, to the Ephesians; then, to t he Philippians; then, to the Colossians; after these, two of the Thessalonians; and that to the Hebrews; and again, two to Timothy; one to Titus; and lastly, th at to Philemon. And besides, the Revelation of John.

These are fountains of salvation, that he who thirsts may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone the teaching of godliness is proclaime d. Let no one add to these; let nothing be taken away from them... Bruce Metzger comments: Of the forty-five such festal epistles that Athanasius wrote from A.D. 329 onwar ds, the Thirty-Ninth Festal Epistle of 367 is particularly valuable, for it cont ains a list of the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. In the case of the Old Testament, Athanasius excludes the deuterocanonical books, permitting t hem only as devotional reading. The twenty-seven books of the present New Testam ent are stated to be the only canonical ones; they stand in sequence of Gospels, Acts, the seven Catholic Epistles the Pauline Epistles (with Hebrews inserted b etween 2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy), concluding with the Apocalypse of John. ' These', he declares, 'are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be sa tisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone the teaching of godli ness is proclaimed. Let no one add to these; let nothing be taken away from them .'[3] Further Metzger adds: The year 367 marks, thus, the first time that the scope of the New Testament can on is declared to be exactly the twenty-seven books accepted today as canonical. But not every one in the Church was ready to follow the opinion of the bishop o f Alexandria. For example, the distinguished theologian and contemporary of Atha nasius, Gregory of Nazianzus (d. 389), toward the end of his life drew up in ver se (perhaps as an aid to the memory of his readers) a catalogue of the Biblical books. So far as concerns the Old Testament, he agrees with Athanasius, but when it comes to the New Testament he differs in placing the Catholic Epistles after the Pauline Epistles and, more significantly, in omitting Revelation. He then d eclares, '[In thesel you have all. And if there is anything outside of these, it is not among the genuine [books].' Although Gregory thus excludes the Apocalyps e from the canon, he knows of its existence, and on rare occasions in his other works quotes from it.[4]

9. The Canon Approved By The 'Apostolic Canons' (c. A.D. 380) A series of eighty-five Canons attributed to the apostles was compiled in the la te fourth century by the redactor of the Apostolic Constitutions, of which it fo rms the concluding chapter; Can. 85. Let the following books be esteemed venerable and holy by all of you, b oth clergy and laity. [A list of books of the Old Testament. . .] And our sacred books, that is, of the New Testament, are the four Gospels, of Matthew, Mark, L uke, John; the fourteen Epistles of Paul; two Epistles of Peter; three of John; one of James; one of Jude; two Epistles of Clement; and the Constitutions dedica ted to you, the bishops, by me, Clement, in eight books, which it is not appropr iate to make public before all, because of the mysteries contained in them; and the Acts of us, the Apostles. Bruce Metzger comments: Furthermore, manuscripts of the Arabic version (probably made in Egypt) of the E ighty-Fifth Apostolic Canon differ with respect to the list of canonical Scriptu res. Three dating from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, make no mention of the Epistle of Clement. In other manuscripts, following the mention of 'the A pocalypse, vision of John', the list includes with 'the two Epistles of Clement

in one book'.[5]

10. The Canon Of Gregory Of Nazianzus (A.D. 32989) This canon, included among Gregory's poems (I. xii. 5 ff.), was ratified by the Trullan Synod in 692. It is in iambic verse, the lineation of which (but not the rhythm) is preserved, so far as possible, in the translation. Only the New Test ament part is given here. [List of books of the Old Testament....] But now count also [the books] of the New Mystery; Matthew indeed wrote for the Hebrews the wonderful works of Christ, And Mark for Italy, Luke for Greece, John, the great preacher, for all, walking in heaven. Then the Acts of the wise apostles, And fourteen Epistles of Paul, And seven Catholic [Epistles], of which James is one, Two of Peter, three of John again. And Jude's is the seventh. You have all. If there is any besides these, it is not among the genuine [books]. Metzger comments: The year 367 marks, thus, the first time that the scope of the New Testament can on is declared to be exactly the twenty-seven books accepted today as canonical. But not every one in the Church was ready to follow the opinion of the bishop o f Alexandria. For example, the distinguished theologian and contemporary of Atha nasius, Gregory of Nazianzus (d. 389), toward the end of his life drew up in ver se (perhaps as an aid to the memory of his readers) a catalogue of the Biblical books. So far as concerns the Old Testament, he agrees with Athanasius, but when it comes to the New Testament he differs in placing the Catholic Epistles after the Pauline Epistles and, more significantly, in omitting Revelation. He then d eclares, '[In thesel you have all. And if there is anything outside of these, it is not among the genuine [books].' Although Gregory thus excludes the Apocalyps e from the canon, he knows of its existence, and on rare occasions in his other works quotes from it.[6] 11. The Canon Of Amphilochius Of Iconium (d. 394) This canon, like the preceding, is in iambic verse; it was written for Seleucus, a friend of Amphilochius. Only the New Testament part (lines 289-319) is given here. [List of books of the Old Testament.....] It is time for me to speak of the books of the New Testament.

Receive only four evangelists: Matthew, then Mark, to whom, having added Luke As third, count John as fourth in time, But first in height of teachings, For I call this one rightly a son of thunder, Sounding out most greatly with the word of God. And reccive also the second book of Luke, That of the catholic Acts of the Apostles. Add next the chosen vessel, The herald of the Gentiles, the apostle Paul, having written wisely to the churches Twice seven Epistles: to the Romans one, To which one must add two to the Corinthians, That to the Galatians, and that to the Ephesians, after which That in Philippi, then the one written To the Colassians, two to the Thessalonians, Two to Timothy, and to Titus and the Philemon, One each, and one to the Hebrews. But some say the one to the Hebrews is spurious, not saying well, for the grace is genuine. Well, what remaills? Of the Catholic Epistles Some say we must receive seven, but others say Only three should be received--that of James, one, And one of Peter, and those of John, one. And some receive three [of John], and besides these, two of Peter, and that of Jude a seventh. And again the Revelation of John, Some approve, but the most Say it is spurious,This is Perhaps thc most reliable (lit., most unfalsified)

carlon of tlle divinely inspired Scriptures. Bruce Metzger comments on this canon: In the list of the New Testament books, Amphilochius reports some of the earlier debate concerning the Hebrews, the Catholic Epistles, and the Apocalypse. In fa ct, not only does he report the doubts of others concerning these books, but he himself appears to reject 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude, and almost certainly rejects Revelation. The most curious feature is that, having thus started the do ubts as to the right of several books to be included in the sacred collection, t he author ends with the incredible phrase: 'This is perhaps the most reliable ca non of the divinely inspired Scriptures'! The presence of the word kanwn, meanin g a hypothetical form of the sentence as a whole. In other words, here we have a bishop in Asia Minor, a colleague of the Gregories as of Basil, and yet he seem s to be uncertain as to the exact nature of the canon![7]

12. The Canon Approved By The Third Synod Of Carthage (A.D. 397) The first council that accepted the present canon of the books of the New Testam ent was the Synod of Hippo Regius in North Africa (A.D. 393); the acts of this c ouncil, however, are lost. A brief summary of the acts was read at and accepted by the Synod of Carthage, A D. 397. Can. 24. Besides the canonical Scriptures, nothing shall be read in church under the name of divine Scriptures. Moreover, the canonical Scriptures are these: [t hen follows a list of Old Testament books]. The [books of the] New Testament: th e Gospels, four books; the Acts of the Apostles, one book; the Epistles of Paul, thirteen; of the same to the Hebrews, one Epistle; of Peter, two; of John, apos tle, three; of James, one; of Jude, one; the Revelation of John. Concerning the confirmation of this canon, the transmarine Church shall be consulted. On the an niversaries of martyrs, their acts shall also be read. According to Zahn, in 419 another Synod held at Carthage gave the concluding wor ds in thc following form: . . . the Revelation of John, one book. Let this be sent to our brother and fell ow-bishop, Boniface [of Rome], and to the other bishops of those parts, that the y may confirm this canon, for these are the things that we have received from ou r fathers to be read in church. -----------------------------------------------------------------------References: [1] Bruce M Metzger, The Canon Of The New Testament: Its Origin, Significance & Development, 1997, Clarendon Press, Oxford, pp. 209-210. [2] Ibid., pp. 210. [3] Ibid., pp. 211-212. [4] Ibid., pp. 212. [5] Ibid., pp. 225. [6] Ibid., pp. 212.

[7] Ibid., pp. 212-213. ******************************************************************************** ********* The She'ites - A True Sect of Islam? http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 8&Itemid=210 One of the earliest groups to deviate from the path of the sunnees (those who fo llowed the way of the Muhammad). Their innovations include revilement of the ver y Companions of the Prophet Muhammad, rejection of his successors and dispisemen t of his wives. Their teachings wander far away from mainstrain, moderate Islam. ******************************************************************************** ********** Qadiyanis (Ahmadiyah) http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5 9&Itemid=212 A disbelieving cult that was invented in India as part of a British plot against the Muslims. There teachings include believing that Jesus died in India and tha t another Messenger came after Muhammad. ******************************************************************************** ********** Report: Global Muslim population hits 1.57 billion http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3787065,00.html Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life report shows nearly one in four people pra ctice Islam, with over 60% of world's Muslims living in Asia, about 20% living i n Mideast and North Africa, 2.4% in Europe Associated Press Published: 10.08.09, 09:26 / Israel News The global Muslim population stands at 1.57 billion, meaning that nearly 1 in 4 people in the world practice Islam, according to a report Wednesday billed as th e most comprehensive of its kind. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life report provides a precise number for a population whose size has long been subject to guesswork, with estimates rangin g anywhere from 1 billion to 1.8 billion. The project, three years in the making, also presents a portrait of the Muslim w orld that might surprise some. For instance, Germany has more Muslims than Leban on, China has more Muslims than Syria, Russia has more Muslims than Jordan and L ibya combined, and Ethiopia has nearly as many Muslims as Afghanistan. "This whole idea that Muslims are Arabs and Arabs are Muslims is really just obl iterated by this report," said Amaney Jamal, an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University who reviewed an advance copy. Pew officials call the report the most thorough on the size and distribution of adherents of the world's second largest religion behind Christianity, which has

an estimated 2.1 billion to 2.2 billion followers. The arduous task of determining the Muslim populations in 232 countries and terr itories involved analyzing census reports, demographic studies and general popul ation surveys, the report says. In cases where the data was a few years old, res earchers projected 2009 numbers. The report also sought to pinpoint the world's Sunni-Shiite breakdown, but diffi culties arose because so few countries track sectarian affiliation, said Brian G rim, the project's senior researcher. As a result, the Shiite numbers are not as precise; the report estimates that Sh iites represent between 10 and 13% of the Muslim population, in line with or sli ghtly lower than other studies. As much as 80% of the world's Shiite population lives in four countries: Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq. The report provides further evidence that while the heart of Islam might beat in the Middle East, its greatest numbers lie in Asia: More than 60% of the world's Muslims live in Asia. * Muslims make up 0.8% of US population About 20% live in the Middle East and North Africa, 15% live in Sub-Saharan Afri ca, 2.4% are in Europe and 0.3% are in the Americas. While the Middle East and N orth Africa have fewer Muslims overall than Asia, the region easily claims the m ost Muslim-majority countries. While those population trends are well established, the large numbers of Muslims who live as minorities in countries aren't as scrutinized. The report identifie d about 317 million Muslims - or one-fifth of the world's Muslim population - li ving in countries where Islam is not the majority religion. About three-quarters of Muslims living as minorities are concentrated in five co untries: India (161 million), Ethiopia (28 million), China (22 million), Russia (16 million) and Tanzania (13 million). In several of these countries - from India to Nigeria and China to France - divi sions featuring a volatile mix of religion, class and politics have contributed to tension and bloodshed among groups. The immense size of majority-Hindu India is underscored by the fact that it boas ts the third-largest Muslim population of any nation - yet Muslims account for j ust 13% of India's population. "Most people think of the Muslim world being Muslims living mostly in Muslim-maj ority countries," Grim said. "But with India ... that sort of turns that on its head a bit." Europe is home to about 38 million Muslims, or about 5% of its population. Germa ny appears to have more than 4 million Muslims - almost as many as North and Sou th America combined. In France, where tensions have run high over an influx of M uslim immigrant laborers, the overall numbers were lower but a larger percentage of the population is Muslim. Of roughly 4.6 million Muslims in the Americas, more than half live in the Unite d States although they only make up 0.8% of the population there. About 700,000 people in Canada are Muslim, or about 2% of the total population. *************************************************************************